Islam Makhachev has paid an emotional tribute to Khabib Nurmagomedov's late father and former coach Abdulmanap after becoming UFC champion.
Makhachev has enjoyed a meteoric rise since signing with the UFC has mirrored the career of mentor Nurmagomedov who retired as an undefeated UFC champion in 2020. In the biggest step of his career to date, the Russian was crowned lightweight ruler with victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 last weekend to cap off his recent dominance at 155lb.
The rising star is currently being coached by Nurmagomedov and American Kickboxing Academy trainer Javier Mendez, having previously been coached by his mentor's late father Abdulmanap. After winning the title on Saturday night, Makhachev posted an emotional image of himself and his late coach on Instagram with a lengthy caption in Russian, which read: "My coach was the first to believe in me when I first came to the gym and did not even think of becoming a fighter.
"I wasn't special, I wasn't different from the rest and throughout my career he believed in me and told me that I would be a champion, that I just needed to practice. And today, when I became a champion, I would really like to put this belt on my coach, in the octagon. If you were by my side, it would have been a more meaningful victory for me. May the Almighty grant you the highest rank of Paradise coach."
Nurmagomedov's father passed away in April 2020 as a result of health complications caused by coronavirus, which was also a major factor in the former champion's decision to retire after beating Justin Gaethje. Makhachev is now the second world champion that Nurmagomedov's father had coached to glory including his son, with the new champion looking to follow in the dominant footsteps of his mentor.
Having conquered the division, the 31-year-old will now likely receive a number of high-profile tests including the imminent challenge of Alexander Volkanovski who will step up from 145lb in a bid to become double champion. Nurmagomedov was supremely confident of Makhachev dethroning the dominant Oliveira and he was proved correct having trained his star to glory during his gruelling camp.
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And Nurmagomedov has already issued his prediction for how the fight with the New Zealander will pan out when it is officially scheduled by the UFC. “Let him prepare this. Clinch wrestling. Like freestyle wrestling, Greco Roman. Grappling. Thai clinch, left hand. Volkanovski, we respect you, but we’re gonna take your place, brother," he said after Makhachev's recent win.
“You are pound-for-pound number one right now, but Islam want to be on your side. You have to prepare. Clinch, lotta knees. He’s going to eat a lot of knees. He’s going to take his all energy, take him down, and he’s going to choke him out. This is what I think. This is the way how I see how’s fight gonna go. Thai clinch is going to kill him. Islam has been doing this for 20 years.”
