Press
Khabib Nurmagomedov was one of the most successful fighters in the UFC. But the former athlete from Dagestan is becoming a thorn in the side of the Kremlin.
Moscow – The authorities in Russia have apparently started investigations against Khabib Nurmagomedov. This is reported by several Russian media outlets, including the state-controlled website Russia Today. The former lightweight world champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) MMA martial arts federation is accused of improperly paying a total of 306 million rubles (about $3.3 million) in taxes.
Due to the allegations, the Kremlin, controlled by Russian President Vladimir Putin, is now said to have taken action. The power control center in Moscow issued instructions to the “Federal Tax Service” to freeze several accounts of the now 35-year-old martial artist from the Russian republic of Dagestan. These should be both private and business accounts. Accounts belonging to the “Eagle FC” association founded by Nurmagomedow as well as accounts attributed to a charitable organization founded by Nurmagomedow are also affected.
Putin and Nurmagomedov are keeping a low profile in the tax dispute
Khabib Nurmagomedow ended his professional career after 29 fights without defeat in 2020 after successfully defending his UFC lightweight title against Justin Gaethje. To this day he is considered one of the best and most successful MMA fighters of all time. After his playing career, Nurmagomedow worked as a coach for his childhood friend Islam Makhachew. The 32-year-old martial artist from Dagestan followed in his friend’s footsteps and won the UFC lightweight title in 2022. Like Nurmagomedov, Makhachew had already celebrated international success in the Russian martial art sambo before his career in the UFC.
So far, neither the Kremlin nor Nurmagomedov have denied or confirmed the tax evasion investigation. In principle, Vladimir Putin’s government maintains a close relationship with the successful athletes of the Republic of Dagestan. The Russian ruler received Nurmagomedov and his father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who died in 2020, in Moscow before his death.
Putin’s ruler Kadyrov maintains close relationships with martial artists
After Nurmagomedow had what was probably the most highly regarded fight of his career against MMA superstar Conor McGregor After winning in 2018, Putin not only sent personal congratulations. According to UFC President Dana White, Russia’s president even paid the then champion $20 million in recognition of his sporting achievements. White, who is considered a close confidant of former President Donald Trump, said this in an interview with Video Format Games with Names.
Putin’s ruler in Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, also likes to portray himself as a big martial arts fan. The president of the Russian republic, who has become known as “Putin’s bloodhound,” regularly seeks proximity to well-known UFC professionals. Like Nurmagomedov, Kadyrov is a devout Muslim. In 2010, the Chechen ruler said, according to the news agency Reutershe believes that the Sharia above Russian law. But he does not doubt Moscow’s rule over the Caucasus republic.
In addition to nationalists of Chechen origin such as welterweight Khamzat Chimaev from Sweden, US athletes such as UFC world champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo and the aforementioned Gaethje were also photographed with Kadyrov. The Ukrainian news portal, among others, reported on this Kyiv Post. During the ongoing war in Ukraine, numerous US media outlets criticized US athletes’ relationships with Putin’s allies.
Putin’s relations with Dagestan are contradictory
Nurmagomedov has not yet commented on the war in Ukraine. However, as a proud resident of the Republic of Dagestan, his relationship with the Kremlin is likely to be quite ambivalent. In October last year we had Anti-Semitic riots at the airport in the Dagestani capital Makhachkala President Putin called into action. He condemned the riots, but blamed them directly on Western interference. In 2018, Putin also sent his confidant Vladimir Vasilyev as governor to Dagestan in order to push back the emerging Islamism there – including by force. (Daniel Dillman)
#Kremlin #boss #Putin #takes #martial #arts #legend #Dagestan