When people start arguing about the greatest fighter of all time, two names always get thrown around- Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov. And fair enough. One lad cleaned out two divisions, the other walked away undefeated, belts still round his waist. Doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

But here’s the thing—on paper, they couldn’t be more different. Canada vs. Dagestan. Karate vs. sambo. One built his legacy by coming back from losses; the other never tasted defeat. Total opposites, right? Well, not exactly. Scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a link most fans don’t even know about. And it’s not about knockouts or takedowns—it’s about the people behind them, the ones who made them who they are.

Georges St-Pierre talks about the role of his father in becoming an MMA great 

In an interview with CTV Your Morning, ‘GSP’ said, “Well, he decided to stop. And not only that, he decided to stop at that time. So, it resolidified my family, and he also started mentoring the young people that tried to stop themselves from drinking. So I was very fortunate to have a great role model, as my dad was. I think my resilience, my hard work, and my mentality I got it from my dad. I have never liked to fight, I have done this to propel me where I wanted to be in life.” 

We know Georges St-Pierre as one of the most successful martial artists to ever walk the face of the earth. However, his family’s beginnings were very humble. While living in Canada, GSP’s father, Roland St-Pierre, worked 60 hours a week in a floor-refinishing business, while his mother cared for the elderly as a nurse. Interestingly, GSP even followed in his father’s footsteps and earned a certificate in floor-refinishing before pursuing a career in MMA.

It was Roland’s decision to introduce his son to Kyokushin karate, so he could defend himself against bullies. And that became the true turning point in GSP’s journey. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the GOATs, alongside Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. And like St-Pierre, ‘The Eagle’ also shares a similar story, with his own father guiding him as a mentor on the path to greatness. 

Khabib Nurmagomedov details his father’s role in his success 

In the UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov and his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, might be the most famous father-son duo the sport has ever seen. The Russian champion was fortunate enough to call his father not only a parent but also a mentor and coach. And it wasn’t just Khabib. Abdulmanap coached an entire generation of Dagestani fighters, including Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Tagir Ulanbekov, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest minds in MMA.

Sadly, the legendary coach passed away in 2020 at just 57 years of age, a loss that deeply affected Khabib. Shortly after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, he chose to retire, ending his career undefeated at 29-0. Even after retirement, however, the former lightweight champion has often detailed how his father’s wisdom shaped not only his own success but also that of his teammates.

In an interview with ESPN in January 2025, Khabib reflected on his father’s legacy, saying, “He was very disciplined. He came back to our village and began training the youth in 1985, and kept training until his last days. And some people, they learn things but there is no discipline. There is no energy. There is no knowledge. He was very educated, and he used to tell all of us that we had to be educated. So many things came together.”

Abdulmanap’s emphasis on building both knowledge and discipline, alongside technical skill, highlights how wisdom was at the heart of his training philosophy. With that being said, what do you think about the contributions of these two legendary fathers behind the success of GSP and Khabib—two of the UFC’s greatest fighters? Let us know in the comments below.