Khabib Nurmagomedov paid tribute to his late father on Instagram after his cousin Usman Nurmagomedov’s valiant title defense against Alexander Shabliy. Sharing Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s advice to “keep the old qualities, we move on,” he paid homage to the teachings that have influenced his family’s success in the fighting game in his post.
Usman’s triumph is simply one more chapter in Khabib’s expanding coaching career. He has taken over his father’s job as mentor to the upcoming fighters.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
For the former lightweight champion of the UFC, it all comes down to maintaining a firm foundation in those ageless principles while advancing the sport. And it’s obviously effective!
In order to continue the fighting tradition of the Nurmagomedovs, Khabib and his group are training Usman as the next generation of champions. The 26-year-old recently engaged in a back-and-forth five-round bout with Shabliy, a fighter of extraordinary potential. And at the end of the fight, he performed well enough throughout to receive victories on the scorecards of all three judges.
“The Eagle” expressed his feelings and congratulated his brother on Instagram after the victory. He said,
“Thanks to everyone who worried and cheered, we as a whole team feel and see it, and we in turn try to meet the expectations of all those who are close to us in spirit and mentality, and if anyone was upset with our victory, we apologize, that’s what sport is – one wins and the other loses. As my Father told us: keeping the old qualities, we move on.”
The victory only serves to strengthen the Nurmagomedov clan’s legacy. Three current champions from two significant MMA promotions are almost certain to be part of Khabib and his group.
