Khabib Nurmagamedov is One of the Most Fearsome Fighters in MMA Today… His Wrestling Style Makes Him Nearly Impossible to Beat… Unless Of Course, You Are His Dad…
2018 was Khabib Nurmagamedov’s year. After several years of trying to stay in contention during long spells out with injury, the Dagestani fighter finally won the lightweight title. He did so against the most unlikely opponent in Al Iaquinta but would validate the title by crushing Conor McGregor a few months later.
Now he’s currently on the sidelines observing Ramadan. He’s highly likely to return in September, with the UFC expecting to hold a card in Abu Dhabi. Interim champion Dustin Poirier is set to be the man to welcome him back to the cage after what will almost be a year on the sidelines.
His top game is one of the best in the business. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise then that this runs in the family. Check out Khabib going toe to toe with his father Abdulmanap… you might be surprised by who comes off better.
Body Checked
In the footage above, taken by Khabib’s head coach at the American Kickboxing Academy Javier Mendez, Khabib goes toe-to-toe with his dad Abdulmanap. The senior Nurmagamedov is one of the most respected martial artists in the country. He’s been awarded the awesome title of Master of Sports for his contributions to sambo and wrestling.
So you might not be surprised to see that he was able to stand up to his UFC champion of a son. Not only that but he was able to shift the younger man backwards, in a great show of old man strength. Abdulmanap was his son’s first teacher in their native Dagestan where he was taught sambo in their local village. That, of course, prompted the infamous Khabib v the bear cub video.
Calm and Composed
Khabib is known for being unflappable. The Russian fighter’s manager Ali Abdelaziz described how he stayed calm during the bus attack back in April of 2018. He described:
“The first thing I wanted to do, I want to jump out the bus. And Khabib was sitting, smiling. I was so angry, because I felt like we were getting ambushed by like 20, 30 guys. I want to jump out the bus, but Ilir Latifi grabbed me. He’s a light heavyweight. I really wanted to get out the bus, because I don’t like to be in a box while people trying to kill you. You understand?
“And Khabib said, ‘Hey, relax. If gangsters come, they don’t bring video cameras.’ Because when Conor come, he brought all his crony little dudes, but they have video cameras. (Khabib) said, ‘Real gangsters don’t bring video cameras.’ He was sitting. He didn’t get up. Khabib was smiling. When all this stuff was going on, he didn’t get up.”
Return
UFC 242 in September looks likely to be Khabib’s return. If he gets past Dustin Poirier – and with an unbeaten record of 27-0, he’s the heavy favourite – then his team is likely to push for a fight with the retired Georges St. Pierre. Whether or not that is feasible remains to be seen.
It’s the Eagle’s time to soar.
