A Muslim athlete can make Islamic ritual visible within a hostile mainstream spectacle.

Evidence

Wearing his signature Dagestani papakha (sheepskin hat), Khabib stepped onto the scale for the mandatory weigh-in before the bout. With Joe Rogan to his right, and thousands of fans shouting a mix of praise and expletives at the still-faced fighter, Khabib tapped his chest then nodded his head. “Not me,” he whispered, and then pointed toward the sky—a quiet Islamic ritual of praise, giving all credit to God. — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 1083

Categorization

• SHARE: For a friend who follows MMA — the precise details of Khabib’s weigh-in ritual gesture and its defiance.