The President of the Russian Federation spoke to the UFC champion on the phone on Friday.
Vladimir Putin, the president of the Russian Federation, offered his condolences to Khabib Nurmagomedov following the death of his father due to COVID-19 complications.
The official statement from the Kremlin website reads, “In a telephone conversation with Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, Vladimir Putin conveyed deep condolences on the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.”
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the UFC champion’s father and longtime mentor, passed away at a Moscow hospital on Friday after losing his battle with the deadly disease. Nurmagomedov was transported from his native Dagestan to a military hospital in Moscow in April after falling ill with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms, which was later confirmed to be COVID-19. As his condition worsened, the renowned coach suffered a stroke and underwent surgery before being placed in a medically induced coma.
Despite reports that there were signs of recovery, including from Khabib himself, Abdulmanap eventually succumbed to the disease. He is survived by his three children, Magomed, Khabib, and Amina.
Abdulmanap and Khabib met with Putin back in October 2018, just days removed from Khabib’s infamous victory over former UFC champion Conor McGregor. At the meeting, Abdulmanap jokingly mentioned that his punishment for his son’s role in the post-fight brawl would be “tougher than the UFC’s,” but Putin later said “I will ask your father not to punish you too strictly, because you achieved the main task.”