September 20, 1988. Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s birth in Sildi, in the Republic of Dagestan, started a whole new chapter of what would be known as their dominance in the UFC. Abdulmanap, Khabib’s father, always dreamed of making those mountains the hub of wrestling talent and while he isn’t around to see it today, Khabib, post-retirement, is doing just that… Fulfilling his father’s biggest wish, despite facing several hurdles along the way.

Back in 2024, the former UFC undefeated lightweight champion was brought into the spotlight on allegations of tax evasion by the Russian Federal Tax Service. The outcome? His assets were reportedly seized by the Russian government. And earlier this month, a few sources claimed that Nurmagomedov’s bank account was also frozen by the Russian Federal Tax Service. This was long after ‘The Eagle’ retired with an undefeated record of 29-0, where he even rejected a $40 million payday by the UFC for a highly-anticipated comeback. But through all his financial woes, Nurmagomedov succeeded in building his dream sports complex at the top of the mountains in Sildi.

Taking to Instagram on April 7, Nurmagomedov showed off the route to his complex through the snow-covered mountains and captioned, “Gathering high in the mountains in the village of Sildi has begun.” But do you know what’s so special about the complex in Sildi? Well, the construction began back when Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was still alive. It took about seven years to complete the building.

The facility is set at around 1,800 meters above sea level, and that makes this the highest MMA sports complex in the entirety of Russia. The complex reportedly includes three main buildings, with a gym, a dormitory, a canteen, a mosque, a football field, and a basketball court. According to sources, the complex holds the capacity to accommodate 100 athletes. But how much did ‘The Eagle’ have to pay for his father’s dream complex?

Apparently, Nurmagomedov has spent around $4-5 million (400-500 Russian Rubles) to construct the complex in Sildi. And it all came from the former champion’s personal funds. As of now, the complex is fully functional, and training of the Dagestani team has already begun. Khabib’s manager, Rizvan Magomedov, said, “The base is completed, it is functioning at 100%. Our team has already started training there. As far as I know, everything is booked there until the end of summer.”

Quite an incredible way to realize ‘father’s dream’—a state-of-the-art facility tucked away in the mountains with all the amenities and no distractions. We’re sure the late Sr. Nurmagomedov would have been proud to see his son’s achievements if he were still with us.

But let’s explore how Nurmagomedov rejected a payday enough to make Jon Jones foam at the mouth. What’s all that about, and is it true? Well, that’s exactly what Jones’ rival and Khabib’s teammate Daniel Cormier once claimed.

When Khabib Nurmagomedov refused UFC’s lucrative offer to rejoin!

Earlier in 2024, ‘DC’, the UFC color commentator, took to his YouTube channel and revealed, “Khabib told us he turned down $40 million. That dude said $40 million to come back—to fight in the UFC. I don’t know how many fights he was meaning. I don’t know what he meant. But he just said, ‘I turned away $40 million, brother. I am done.’ I don’t know what would prompt him to come back if he’s turning that type of money away two years ago.”

Apparently, ‘The Eagle’ owed $3.4 million to the Russian government in unpaid taxes and because of that, the authorities froze the former champion’s bank accounts. Any other person would have jumped at the opportunity to take that amount of money the UFC was offering and get rid of their immediate financial woes. Yet, the undefeated Dagestani star declined the UFC’s offer, staying true to his promise to his mother that he would never compete after his father’s death.

However, reports have also suggested that the Dagestani has cleared his debts.

It’s true that Nurmagomedov is done with his fighting days. But while we won’t get to see ‘The Eagle’ engage in action inside the Octagon ever again, we’ll definitely get to witness his students make some noise in the MMA cage. And his father’s dream of training hundreds of athletes at the top of the Sildi mountains would ensure that the Dagestani team rises above all hurdles.

What are your thoughts on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s new sports complex? Would you wish to train under the former Dagestani champion at the highest-situated complex in Russia? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.