ABU DHABI – MMA lost one of its most respected figures last week when Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and the patriarch of the sport in Russia, died at 57 due to COVID-19 complications. The sense of loss extends to the UFC itself and president Dana White, who spoke Friday about the relationship father and son had. “It’s terrible,” White told reporters, including MMA Junkie, after UFC 251 weigh-ins. “We feel horrible for Khabib. We know how much he loves his father and how close they were.” Coincidentally, Abu Dhabi, which hosts UFC 251 on Saturday night, was also the scene of the younger Nurmagomedov’s most recent bout, in which he successfully defended his championship against Dustin Poirier last September to run his record to 28-0. Unfortunately, that would turn out to be the final time Khabib had his father in his corner
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Dana White: No pressure on Khabib Nurmagomedov to fight so soon after father’s death – MMA Junkie