TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Khabib Nurmagomedov, the new MMA champion from Russia who defeated Conor McGregor, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He and his father were invited to chat on the sidelines of a sports event in Ulyanovsk, Russia, Thursday, October 10.
Putin congratulated Khabib for his success and sympathized with his action that he went berserk and hit the McGregor’s team member, Dillon Danis, after the duel. Such anger is said to happen to everyone if his/her parents or his/her religion are insulted. “Anyone can jump (get out of Octagon) in the same way,” Putin said.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor in the UFC 229 arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 6. However, after the match, he attacked the opposing team member, Dillon Danis, who claimed to insult his father and his religion as Muslim. Three members of the Khabib team also entered the octagon ring and attacked McGregor.
The agency that oversees all empty-handed martial arts (NSAC) has given McGregor a one-month ban on excessive provocation. While the sanction for Khabib is still being discussed.
Khabib himself had publicly apologized. He also claimed that he had been reprimanded by his father, Abdulmanap, and was confident that he would be severely punished when he arrived home.
During the meeting, Putin also said to Khabib. “I will ask your father not to punish you too much because you achieved a decent and convincing victory,” Putin said as quoted by RT Sports.
Khabib had time to capture the meeting and upload it on his Instagram account. “Thank you very much Vladimir Vladimirovich for the warm welcome and the congratulations,” he wrote.
“And I am very happy that my victory brought a lot of happiness to our multinational countries. This is our common victory,” Khabib Nurmagomedov also said.
NURDIN SALEH
