Tony Ferguson offers condolences to Khabib Nurmagomedov, says Abdulmanap will be front row when they fight

By Cole Shelton - July 3, 2020

Tony Ferguson has offered his condolences to Khabib Nurmagomedov following the passing of his father, Abdulmanap.

Ufc 249, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, Dana White

It was revealed on Friday that Abdulmanap, who was just 57-years-old, passed away due to complications with COVID-19. He was put in a coma but it was recently announced he was conscious and doing much better. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse and he passed away.

It is obviously tragic news for Khabib and the Nurmagomedov family, but the MMA world has shared their condolences.

Now, Tony Ferguson, who has been scheduled to fight the Dagestani champion five times took to social media to share his condolences.

My Sincerest Condolences To You & Your Family @TeamKhabib [Khabib Nurmagomedov] Keep Your Spirits Up Buddy. Respect To Your Father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He Will Be Front Row When We Hopefully Compete Someday,” Ferguson wrote.

It is obviously very nice to see Ferguson share his condolences. The two have trashed one another in the past, but the respect is there. He knows Abdulmanap will be there in spirit when the two finally fight.

Tony Ferguson last fought back at UFC 249 on May 9. There, “El Cucuy” suffered his first loss since 2012, which spanned 12 fights when Justin Gaethje scored a fifth-round TKO win.

Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov is a fight many fans have wanted to see for years. Many thought El Cucuy would be a boogeyman for the Russian, but now that he loss, some of the hype may be lost in a potential fight between the two.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, is expected to face Gaethje in September where he will look to defend his lightweight title. Yet, following the passing of his father, he may need time off to grieve and spend with his family.

Abdulmanap was a major part of Khabib’s life and camp as the two were very close. At UFC 242, which was Khabib’s last fight, he was able to corner his son for the first time in his UFC career. So, the good news is that Abdulmanap was able to be in the corner to see his son defend the lightweight title.


Topics:

Khabib Nurmagomedov Tony Ferguson UFC