Khabib Nurmagomedov is a national hero in Russia. In a heartwarming event, he recently escorted another national hero, the 100-year-old war veteran, Ibrahim-Pasha Sultanovich to kick off a Russian National Soccer League game.
Both Khabib and Sultanovich appeared on the pitch as distinguished guests. But Khabib being the gentleman he is, of course, understands the sacrifices war heroes have to make. So it was only natural that he would support Sultanovich on the pitch in the most wholesome moment in the MMA community this week.
Khabib also shared several snaps featuring him with the 100-year-old war hero on his Instagram profile. And even though he didn’t share a video of the entire incident, the official Instagram account of FC Dynamo Makhachkala did.
View this post on Instagram
Their caption revealed that Sultanovich had fought in the coveted Battle of Stalingrad. For the uninitiated, Germany’s failure to capture Stalingrad despite the overwhelming odds in their favor broke the back of Hitler’s war efforts. This would start a chain of events during World War II, that we now know resulted in the defeat of the Nazis.
No honor is valuable enough for such extraordinary warriors. Now, while Khabib hasn’t fought in any wars, he’s been part of a lot of fights, none of which he has ever lost. Besides, everyone knows, he is a soccer fanatic.
So, the RPL authorities had a strong reason for inviting Khabib to the pitch.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undying love for Soccer
There can be no questions about the RPL authority’s decision to honor a valorous war hero like Sultanovich. And if anyone asks why Khabib made it up there, well there are compelling reasons for that as well.
Khabib felt immensely attracted to the game of soccer right from his childhood. His love for the noted soccer icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, also knows no bounds. The Dagestani once paid a visit to ‘CR7’ during his tenure with the English footballing giants, Manchester United.
Moreover, Conor McGregor’s archrival had also detailed that he would’ve taken up soccer professionally if he didn’t get into MMA. Hence, apart from delighting fans with his presence, ‘The Eagle’ also must have felt honored to receive an invitation to appear as a distinguished guest for the RPL match.
