Khabib Nurmagomedov Prays for Paralyzed Dagestani Boxing Legend as Islam Makhachev & Others Join

The Republic of Dagestan may have garnered fame for producing some of the greatest MMA wrestlers ever, and, of course, by that, we mean the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. However, the Caucasus region is also home to athletes from other combat disciplines, like wrestling and even boxing. If we talk about boxing, Dagestan has a legendary boxer, who unfortunately met with a tragedy in his last ever professional match.

Magomed Abdusalamov was on top of the world from 2008 to early 2013, when he racked up an 18-0 undefeated streak and registered each win with a knockout. He was truly establishing himself as a legitimate threat in the heavyweight division, but his life changed forever when he fought Mike Perez. Abdusalamov lost to Perez in an extremely one-sided fight, as he took a number of impactful blows on the left side of his head.

The fight not only turned out to be his first loss, but also the last fight of his career. Magomed Abdusalamov suffered a large blood clot, which required surgery, and the doctors removed it, along with a part of his skull. The whole incident left the boxer from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s hometown partially paralyzed, and he has since been living in the same condition, but he boasts a positive mentality.

Recently, Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team, including Islam Makhachev, visited Magomed Abdusalamov, presumably in Dagestan. After spending time with the former boxer, one of Khabib’s teammates, Imamshafi Aliev, wrote, “A man with great character and unbending will with Mago,” on Instagram, paying his respects to Abdusalamov. Moreover, ‘The Eagle’ also shared the post from his teammate on his Instagram stories, praying for the former boxer’s well-being.

People might think that Team Khabib may have become closely associated with Magomed Abdusalamov recently, but Dagestani athletes seem to be connected with each other for a long time. In fact, the 18-1 boxing legend even came to the United States to support Islam Makhachev in one of his biggest career fights. Let’s take a look at that front.

Magomed Abdusalamov caught up with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev at UFC 302

Islam Makhachev’s win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 put him in the conversation for arguably being the greatest lightweight fighter in UFC history. After all, ‘The Diamond’ is one of the best 155-ers ever and has been at the top of his game for more than a decade. It was certainly a cause for celebration, and Makhachev not only had his coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov there with him at Newark, New Jersey, but also received a surprise visit from Magomed Abdusalamov.

When the video clips from Islam Makhachev’s interaction with Magomed Abdusalamov surfaced online, fans found it quite wholesome, to say the least. They high-fived each other, hugged, and embraced, sharing some kind words with each other. “Maga, how are you? It’s my first time seeing you in person. How are you, brother? Looking good,” said Makhachev, since it was his first time meeting Abdusalamov.

Despite the unfortunate end to Abdusalamov’s career, the boxing community and the Republic of Dagestan have not forgotten his contribution and his efforts in putting his region on the boxing world map. So, what do you have to say about Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team catching up with the 18-1 legend? Drop your comments below.