3 Years After Father’s Death, Khabib Nurmagomedov and UFC Champ Islam Makhachev Share Views On Expanding Veteran Abdulmanap’s Legacy In Dagestan’s Largest City

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest, if not the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. More importantly, he is a great person. With his characteristic humility, discipline, and being true to himself, he is one of the best role models any young fighter could have.

And the man behind molding him into a champion and a gem of a person is his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. The elder Nurmagomedov was also the first coach of UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Khabib’s childhood friend. Khabib was so close to his father that he quit fighting after his father died due to COVID-19, despite being offered tens of millions of dollars to do so, which also affected his legacy. The two have continued Abdulmanap’s legacy through their excellence in the cage and conduct outside it. And recently, the two decided to pay tribute to the elder Nurmagomedov.

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev pay tribute to Abdulmanap

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev recently took to their respective Instagram stories to share a post by the Nurmagomedov MMA Gym’s Instagram. The gym is in the city of Makhachkala and provides MMA training to fighters. The post had a heartfelt and inspiring caption accompanying a short clip of fighters, including the current UFC lightweight champion, practicing at the gym.

This caption was a quote from the former Sambo coach on the subject of having a purpose in one’s life. In the quote, Abdulmanap talks about how having a purpose changes one’s life for the better, how it makes one better, and how to keep on keeping despite encountering failures.

“When you start living with purpose, everything instantly falls into place. Life is literally starting to change. You stop communicating with people who were only doing what dragged you down. Your character changes as well as your body, you feel yourself as a creator, yourself and your image in this world. Many people do not understand us, they look at us as if we are crazy. In fact, we are part of those people who don’t know the word impossible. Remember to fall is not a problem, the problem is not to get up,” the post said quoting Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

And while Abdulmanap may have passed away, and with Khabib retired, Makhachev is eager to further his and his first coach’s mixed martial arts legacy by becoming a simultaneous two-division champion in the UFC.

Islam Makhachev wants to become double champ

In a recent interview with a Russian media outlet, the Dagestani spoke about his desire to move up and fight for the welterweight title to further his legacy. He revealed that he only wants to fight for titles from now on and would rather retire than fight opponents he doesn’t think are up to the mark.

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He clarified that if Colby Covington was to beat Leon Edwards at UFC 296 to become the new UFC welterweight champion, he would jump on the chance to fight the American if given the chance. What do you think about Makhachev’s double-champ aspirations? Let us know in the comments section below.

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