Khabib Nurmagomedov is having a November to remember. Just weeks earlier, Islam Makhachev, long guided under Nurmagomedov’s mentorship, captured his second UFC belt and became the promotion’s 11th two-division champion. Yet not long after that triumph, Nurmagomedov found himself back in the headlines for reasons outside the cage, owing to a profitable yet controversial business venture involving a family heirloom.

As part of the project with Telegram, he unveiled a signed papakha hat as a digital collectible and announced the launch on X. What appeared to be a routine product introduction quickly shifted into controversy when Khabib Nurmagomedov referenced his late father in the promotion, saying, “my father passed this down to me, now I want to pass this down to you.” The message triggered widespread criticism and intense discussion across social media. However, despite the backlash and the noise surrounding the rollout, the auction proved to be a major success for the initiative.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s papakha digital collectible rakes in 4.5 million USD in one day

According to a page on X named ‘PAM,’ the joint auction with Telegram delivered massive results and largely benefited Nurmagomedov. “UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov’s joint papakha auction with Pavel Durov on Telegram has ended. The auction raised around 4.5 million USD (347 million Roubles). It took one day to sell all 29,000 papakhas.”

The papakha, a traditional sheepskin hat from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and parts of Eastern Europe, became globally recognized thanks to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s career. Today, fighters like Georgian champion Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov proudly wear it, and the momentum behind the papakha collection continues to grow. At first, some fans viewed ‘the Eagle’s papakha auction as a potential “crypto scam,” drawing comparisons to last year’s $SMASH meme cryptocurrency controversy involving Khamzat Chimaev.

The token initially soared in value after ‘Borz’ promoted it on social media, but quickly collapsed, prompting investors to accuse the project of being a scam. Khamzat Chimaev later attributed the mishap to the negligence of his manager, Majdi Shammas. This isn’t the first time Khabib Nurmagomedov’s name has been linked to crypto controversy.

In 2023, ‘Crypto Detective’ Coffeezilla accused the MMA legend of a scam involving his NFTs. Yet the latest collaboration with Telegram is a venture ‘the Eagle’ can fully trust, given his close ties with the platform’s CEO, Pavel Durov.

Telegram CEO receives invitation from ‘The Eagle’ to Dagestan

Khabib Nurmagomedov, though retired from active competition, has firmly taken on the role of coach and mentor. His stature and respect in the MMA world remain undeniable. Meanwhile, his students are steadily carrying the region’s name to every corner of the globe. ‘The Eagle’s impact now extends beyond MMA, reaching other sports as well. Back in the summer, ‘The Eagle’ also made an appearance on the CBS Sports Golazo broadcast during the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final, sharing memorable moments with influencer IShowSpeed. From time to time, he even reconnects with surprise guests outside the combat sports world.

Among those in his wide network is tech entrepreneur Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. During one memorable moment, Khabib Nurmagomedov publicly reached out on X: “Brother @durov, I see you always in the gym; I think it’s time you come and train with the brotherhood.” The message landed exactly as intended—part invitation, part challenge. Durov didn’t hesitate for a second, responding with pure Russian confidence, “📍Send location, brother.” It’s worth noting that this exchange didn’t happen out of nowhere; the two have met multiple times at UFC events.

Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov is now stepping into the entrepreneurial world, much like his rival Conor McGregor, but doing so more gradually and under the radar. How do you see ‘The Eagle’ leaving his mark in this space? So, share your thoughts below.