Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals whether he's interested in pursuing political career after recent coaching retirement
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently announced that he had decided to step away from MMA to spend more time with his family. After stepping away from the sport, a political career seemed like it could be an option, but the former UFC lightweight champion isn't interested at the moment.
According to Russian media outlet Tass.ru, Nurmagomedov isn't expected to pursue a political career and is instead committed to being with his family. A source told the Russian media outlet, the 34-year-old is still planning to focus on another sport, saying:
"Khabib does not plan to pursue a political career...It is likely that he can pay more attention to his football-related business."
His announcement to step away from MMA was a shock, especially considering his proteges Islam Makhachev and Usman Nurmagomedov are lightweight champions in their respective promotions.
In an Instagram post, the UFC Hall of Famer confirmed his decision to step away from MMA, writing:
"Take care of yourself brothers. I hope my decision is only for the best, a big hug to you all...Thank you, you were a big reason for my success in sports."
Obviously, the former lightweight champion could return to coaching in the future. Perhaps he feels that after his fighters have become champions, he can now take a break from MMA knowing they can succeed.
What is Khabib Nurmagomedov's football-related business?
Seedorf Khabib Performance Club (SKPC) is a revolutionary football academy founded by football legend Clarence Seedorf and UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov.
SKPC hopes to integrate the knowledge and discipline of martial arts with the techniques and skill development of football to ensure that every young player can become the best version of themselves. According to their website, SKPC will preach the importance of respect to players participating in their academies around the world, writing:
"A global network of Performance Clubs that will create intercultural opportunities where the values of equality, inclusion, friendship and respect among other values will be promoted and respected."
The mixture of MMA and football is an interesting concept and it will be interesting to see whether it's a formula that leads to the development of world-class players.