The UFC Lightweight Champion Has Spoken Out After a Horrific Attack in Russia… He Definitely Deserves Some Credit for This…
Khabib Nurmagamedov has a massive following in his native Russia as well as in the wider Arab world. He is devoted to his region of Dagestan, his family and of course his religion. The UFC champion has a deeply embedded sense of moral integrity and that affects many of his choices in life.
That’s why he leapt out off the cage to attack Dillon Danis, after beating Conor McGregor at UFC 229. He felt that an injustice was done to him and his tightly-knit crew and it was time to make it right. Now he’s sitting out suspended, although he will be eligible to return this month.
Now he’s used his status as a public figure to speak out against police brutality in Russian. This comes after a disgraceful attack by three police officers, resulting in the death of the father of an MMA fighter.
Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports.
Triple Threat
The alleged attack took place in Moscow and involved three police officers who attacked the father of an MMA fighter. Sulli Yunusilau, the father of Magomed Yunusilau, died of brain herniation and cerebral oedema in hospital. Yunusilau is a Dagestani native and was involved in a fracas with another individual.
Despite the two men resolving their differences, the three police officers got involved. They were allegedly intoxicated and are reported by tass.ru as saying: “One can’t beat Russians,” before they set upon him and began to batter him. Yunusilau tried to flee and seek refuge in a nearby pharmacy but they followed him and basically kicked and stomped him to death.
В Подмосковье двое пьяных полицейских до смерти избили отца двухкратного чемпиона мира по ММА Магомеда Юнисилау. Били просто так – чтобы развеять скуку. pic.twitter.com/86DOwhudgJ
Dagestan is an autonomous region within Russia. It has its own indigenous culture and national identity, with Islam a primary influence upon the state. It’s no wonder that Khabib got involved because of the ethnic nature of the violence directed towards the victim in this tragic case. He took to Instagram and wrote:
“I do not want to criticize, insult, or hurt anyone, but how can a person be beaten to death, and have it done by law enforcers,” said Khabib. “If a man violated something, there is a law under which he is held accountable; it doesn’t say we have to beat him to death! People who enforce the law must set the example. I hope the criminals will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports.
Moral Code
Khabib’s moral code will likely see him out of action until at least September. He’s almost definitely going to take on interim champion Dustin Poirier to unify the belts. We say ‘almost’ because this is the UFC we’re talking about. The Dagestani refused to return to action before his teammates Abubakar Nurmagamedov (also his cousin) and Zubaira Tukhugov had their suspensions lifted.
We can’t wait for him to come back. With an unbeaten record of 27-0, he is definitely one of the scariest fighters on the entire roster.
