The entire world of mixed martial arts entered a phase of mourning in 2020 when the news of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s demise shattered the fighting community. No doubt, Khabib Nurmagomedov was the one who felt the maximum force of the trauma. After all, his father was the one who played the most vital role in molding his legacy as an undefeated UFC champion. 

With Combat Sambo in his arsenal, the former Russian Army coach put the Dagestani team on the MMA maps. But in 2020, COVID-19 snuffed out the light that once illuminated the team, leaving nothing but darkness running through the team. Of course, Team Khabib bounced back successfully. But the pain of losing their beloved coach would forever stay in their hearts. ESPN MMA recently shared a handful of slides where the Dagestani team weighed in on their emotions after the legendary coach left them for his heavenly abode. The post shared the team’s emotions with the world. Let’s see what the fighters had to say.

Team Khabib reflects on the void left by the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

Of course, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was the closest to ‘The Eagle’, and hence, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion was the one who was affected the most. Islam Makhachev pointed this out and said, “When he passed, I think Khabib lose something. Not just father-son thing. More than father, you know. He lose the man who sacrificed his life to his son.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov confirmed this as he said, “He was my coach, father, friend. He was like everything.” The jolt of losing his father was enough for Nurmagomedov to quit his fighting career and focus on his family. The pain that he went through was evident from the tears he let out following his last win over Justin Gaethje. He assured the world that he would never come back to the fighting world. 

But staying away from his team was impossible for Nurmagomedov. Despite the heartache, he had to come down to the gym and take up the mantle of the head coach at Team Khabib. Weighing in on this, ‘The Eagle’ once said, “I have so much knowledge. So [to] be away from these guys, I have to be here and I have to share [this] knowledge with these fighters.” Needless to say, this was the most important step he had taken, and the AKA coach Javier Mendez approved of it. Mendez claimed, “With Abdulmanap gone, you know, the void was Khabib. Khabib needed to come and step up.” 

But there was one more thing that pushed the Dagestani warriors to strive for greatness. And it was what Mendez dubbed as ‘Father’s Plan’. But what exactly was Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s plan? Let’s hear it directly from the AKA coach. 

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s ex-coach defines ‘Father’s Plan’

The fight fans had always wondered what exactly was ‘Father’s Plan’ that Mendez kept reminding Nurmagomedov of during his fights. The AKA coach finally revealed the meaning of his words during an interview with Gorilla Fighting back in 2024. He revealed, “‘Father’s plan’ is not grappling, okay, it’s not grappling. A lot of people think it’s grappling. It’s never been grappling. He’s greater than that. He was never one about ‘We’re just grappling’. No! Father’s plan is much more than that. It’s what you have that’s your advantage over your opponent. That’s father’s plan.”

Mendez further claimed that Nurmagomedov’s father wasn’t a simple man. He was pretty complex and when it came to brotherhood and fighting; he was nothing short of a genius. The coach assured once again that ‘Father’s Plan’ did not align directly with grappling. He continued, “It’s about using your best strengths against your opponent’s weaknesses and understanding what they are. That’s father’s plan. No one knows that. You’re the first to know what exactly Father’s Plan was.”

No doubt, the void left by Nurmagomedov Sr. has been filled effectively by ‘The Eagle’. However, the pain of losing the legendary coach will forever be etched in our hearts. And this pain hurts Team Khabib the most. Yet, the Dagestani team has to push through and dominate the MMA cage, trying to make the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov proud.