Iconic MMA coach Javier Mendez recently reflected on the legacy of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and the impact he had on his son’s mixed martial arts career.
Throughout his run as one of Russia’s most accomplished combat sports coaches, Abdulmanap trained an incredible 18 world champions, including his son Khabib Nurmagomedov who went on to become one of the most dominant and respected fighters in MMA history. The Eagle’ captured the UFC lightweight title in 2018 and successfully defended it three times, defeating Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje all via submission.
His fight with McGregor is still the highest-grossing event in UFC history, bringing in more than two million pay-per-view buys and a $17 million gate.