Khabib Back In The Gym Following Father’s Death

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Three weeks removed from his father and coach Abdulmanap’s passing due to Coronavirus, we have our first pictures of Khabib training.

There’s still no word on when UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will return to action following the death of his father and coach Abdulmanap in early July, but it looks like the Dagestani fighter is back to training.

Photos appearing on social media showed Khabib sparring in a ring with gloves and shin pads.

They’re the first shots we’ve seen of Nurmagomedov in the gym since a video shared two days before his father’s death.

There’s been a lot of speculation since the passing of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov due to COVID-19 complications as to what the future might hold for Khabib. An expected fight with Justin Gaethje for UFC 253 in September was taken off the schedule and replaced with Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa for the middleweight strap. UFC president Dana White also said the promotion doesn’t plan to put any pressure or conditions on Nurmagomedov defending his title soon.

According to Khabib’s manager, though, we’ll still see a return in 2020. But Khabib’s teammate and close friend Daniel Cormier has his doubts.

“I don’t think he’s fighting this year, honestly,” Cormier said recently. “And it’s going to take a lot of strength from a very strong man for Khabib to be back in the octagon, ever. I just know what Abdulmanap meant to him, and I know that this was their journey together. I hope he fights, but I don’t know … And if he does, I just don’t know how long he’ll be around. Maybe he fights and honors his father with another massive and unbelievable performance.”

What do you think, Maniacs? If you had a thousand bucks riding on it, would you bet Khabib Time is 2020, 2021 … or over and done with?