Khabib Nurmagomedov: COVID-19 led to father's coma, resulted in deaths of relatives
Last week, news broke that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father and longtime trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was hospitalized in critical condition in a coma.
Khabib confirmed the news on Monday on an Instagram video while adding that COVID-19 played a role in his father’s condition. Abdulmanap remains in “bad condition,” according to Khabib.
Early reports stated that Abdulmanap initially tested negative for the coronavirus while hospitalized in his home of Dagestan. He was reportedly transported to a Moscow hospital for further treatment. It’s not clear when he tested positive for COVID-19.
‘He’s still going through this disease’
“My father is still at the hospital,” Khabib said, per an MMA Junkie translation. “He’s still going through this disease. He also had a heart complication due to COVID-19.
“Abdulmanap had surgery for his heart last year and also had the second one these days [sic], so he is still in bad condition. That’s all I can say.”
Abdulmanap reportedly woke up from his medically induced coma on Thursday. He was placed in the coma after complications from pneumonia led to heart surgery. It appears that the pneumonia was a result of contracting COVID-19.
Khabib says COVID-19 killed other relatives
Khabib, who flew home and has remained in Dagestan since the onset of the global COVID-19 outbreak, said that the disease has ravaged his extended family and caused multiple deaths.
“More than 20 of my close relatives have suffered (from) COVID-19 and also had to stay in intensive care,” Khabib said. “Some of them are not with us anymore. As for my father, there’s been so much support, and people kept asking about my father. ...
“I want to thank all the people for your support, wishes and your prayers. I also wish all the best. Be safe and healthy. Thank you very much.”
The news of Abdulmanap’s illness last week drew outreach from UFC President Dana White and Khabib’s rival Conor McGregor, who called the longtime trainer “a martial arts genius.”
Khabib’s relationship with his father
Khabib has a close relationship with Abdulmanap, who has trained him alongside his rise to the top of the UFC with a 28-0 record as the outfit’s lightweight champion.
Khabib was slated to defend his championship against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, before the pandemic changed his plans.
Justin Gaethje instead faced and defeated Ferguson for the interim lightweight title and is presumed to be next in line to challenge Khabib, with White suggesting a unification bout in September.
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