Photo by Valery Sharifulin\TASS via Getty Images
Reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap, has been hospitalized due to suspected pneumonia and flu-like symptoms, but there have been no ties to the COVID-19 virus.
This is according to a recent report by Dagestani sports reporter, Ramazan Rabadanov, who posted the following photo/message to Instagram earlier today:
“(He) almost managed to build a park, took out the trash, planted an alley from new trees, put beautiful benches along the roads, and yesterday didn’t come to the park. Hopefully the pneumonia doesn’t catch my friend and he comes to the park again,” wrote Rabadanov (transcription via BJPenn.com).
With the widespread coronavirus taking over the world over the past few months, this is certainly a scary situation for Nurmagomedov. Doctors have yet to issue such a diagnosis, but they do believe Abdulmanap is currently battling pneumonia and flu-like symptoms. The 57-year-old trainer is unable to see visitors at this time.
“Abdulmanap is in Makhachkala, in the Second City Hospital. He got sick in the mountains,” Rabadanov later told Championat.com. “He walked for two days, the brothers barely persuaded to go to the hospital. While coronavirus is not confirmed. They say the flu. No one is allowed to visit him. The world champion Shamil Zavurov also fell ill. They say there are other sick athletes.”
While this is simply a report and full details have yet to be released this has not been a good month for Team Khabib. First, Khabib was bounced from UFC 249 earlier this month due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and was eventually replaced by Justin Gaethje, who will face Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title at UFC’s event on May 9. Now, Nurmagomedov has to deal with his father’s illness on top of his ongoing observation of Ramadan.
With Ferguson scheduled to fight Gaethje in two weeks and the winner expected to fight Khabib this September, “Eagle” has plenty of time to get everything in order and do what he needs to do to assist his father’s recovery.
Stick with Mania for more updates on Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.