Khabib Nurmagomedov pays tribute to his father

The MMA world will miss Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, following the death of the MMA coach three weeks ago. 

Wednesday, UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov paid tribute to his father with a passage from the Quran on his official Instagram page.

Khabib added a message for his father. 

“I will miss you Father,” he wrote (via RT Sports. “You were father, friend, brother and coach all rolled into one. You taught me almost everything that I can, I hope you were pleased with me.”

Quran 17:23-24.

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.

And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”

Fighters, media, and fans have all paid tribute to Khabib’s father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. UFC President Dana White stated that he felt “terrible” for Khabib and the UFC also paid tribute to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov during one of its broadcasts. 

Former two-division UFC champ and teammate Daniel Cormier doubts whether Khabib will ever return to the octagon. 

“He’s going to have to muster up a lot of strength for an already strong person to go out there and do it,” Cormier said on ESPN.com. “And if he does, I just don’t know how long he’ll be around.”

The lightweight champ’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told TMZ that the fight should happen before the end of the year.

“At the end of the day, Khabib’s father has a legacy he wanted Khabib to accomplish,” the manager said.