Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) reacts after defeating Stipe Miocic (not pictured) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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“Talent From God” – Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Father Recognized Jon Jones’ Skills Long Before His Heavyweight Domination

Throwback to when Khabib Nurmagomedov's late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov recognized Jon Jones' greatness!

Long before Jon Jones shocked the world by claiming the heavyweight title, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s late father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov saw it coming. As one of MMA‘s most respected coaches, Abdulmanap had a special talent for spotting greatness.

While training champions like his son Khabib and Islam Makhachev, he kept a close eye on Jones’ rise through the ranks, and what he saw left him deeply impressed.

Also Read: Khabib Nurmagomedov Starts Beef With Irish MMA

What Did Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov Say About Jon Jones?

Back when everyone questioned whether Jones could hang with the big boys at heavyweight, Abdulmanap boldly predicted he’d “wipe out” the division’s top five fighters. That was a pretty spicy take from a man who wasn’t exactly known for throwing around casual compliments.

He went even further, saying Jones had got his talent straight from God – not from his coaches, not from training, but a pure divine gift. Coming from the guy who molded the undefeated Eagle himself, that’s about as high as praise gets.

“Jon Jones got his talent from God, not from Greg Jackson [Jones’ coach]. Greg Jackson is a good striking coach. Don’t confuse those two things. Jon Jones is No.1 out of all fighters. Maybe not in terms of behavior or the law or anything else…I’m confident that he will wipe out the top-five heavyweights (2 are uncertain). That’s my expert opinion,” said Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov via Red Corner MMA back in 2016.

Khabib's father talking about Jon Jones at heavyweight back in 2016: pic.twitter.com/W0lSDwBmSd
— The Fight Bubble (@thefightbubble) March 5, 2023

The two heavyweights Abdulmanap was uncertain about remain unknown as he didn’t elaborate. His prediction aged like fine wine when Jones stepped into the cage at UFC 285.

The former light heavyweight king needed just two minutes to choke out Ciryl Gane and claim the heavyweight crown. It was the kind of dominant performance that made even Jones’ biggest critics scratch their heads. They probably wondered if Abdulmanap had some sort of crystal ball hidden in that papakha of his!

Despite his own son being in the standing for the greatest fighter to ever live, Abdulmanap fiercely supported the raw talent and skill that Jon Jones possessed. His recent dominant performance against Stipe Miocic, arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time, cemented his legacy as well as Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father’s words!

Sadly, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov did not get to witness his words turn into reality. He passed away due to complications from Covid-19 back in 2020.

(Image Credit: Brad Penner – Imagn Images)

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

Jon Jones

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!