Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Father Abdulmanap Plans To Get Second Wife
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and personal trainer of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, says he intends to take a second wife in the tradition of his family and religion. He revealed his plan during an interview on the television channel Mir 24.
During the interview, the elderly Nurmagomedov was asked about his thoughts on marriage and particularly about Khabib’s mother Fatima. Abdumanap spoke briefly about his wife, but affectionately. “Having her around makes me feel at ease.”
The interviewer followed up with a question about the tradition of polygamy in Islam. The sambo champion shared that it was a custom in his family for men to get additional wives in their late 50s and that he himself would soon be getting a second wife — not divorce and then marry a new wife, but take on a new wife without first divorcing Khabib’s mother.
“I have one [wife] for now. There’s going to be a second one… but the third – I don’t know really …”, he said.
Nurmagomedov Sr. explained that Islam allows a Muslim man to have up to four wives and encourages the practice. “One of the four wives can be disabled,” he said proudly. The old man reiterated that men should respect women, each of whom is someone’s daughter, sister, wife and mother.
Although Russia officially considers polygamy illegal, fringe republics such as Chechnya and Dagestan observe their own non-Russian traditions, and locals are left to do what they want by the central government in Moscow.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has yet to comment publicly on his father’s stated plans. The undefeated UFC champion defended his world title in a fight against US mixed martial artist Dustin Poirier in September. Last month, Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who got trounced by Khabib at UFC 229 in Last Vegas last year, visited Moscow to call the fighter out for a rematch.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov has indicated that his son might agree to a rematch, but only after a fight with veteran U.S. MMA star Tony Ferguson.