In a video shared on Twitter, “The Eagle” is seen sitting alongside his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, chatting with the Russian leader.
“I will ask your father not to punish you too strictly, because you achieved the main task, worthily and convincingly,” said Putin.
Putin is of course referring to Nurmagomedov’s post-fight antics where fans saw him leap out of the octagon and attack McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis mere moments after securing victory. With Nurmagomedov tussling in the crowd, his teammates swarmed the octagon to confront McGregor, with one striking him from behind.
Following the melee, Nurmagomedov apologized for his actions before revealing whatever punishment he was set to receive would not compare to what waited for him in Dagestan.
“My father teach me, you have to be always respectful,” said Nurmagomedov. “I know my father is going to smash me when I go home.”
Abdulmanap later confirmed his son’s fears.
“I will impose a punishment tougher than the UFC’s,” said Abdulmanap. “I warned him. For me, discipline comes first. You do whatever you want in the Octagon, [but] outside — this is the border of civilians, where there are children, women, strangers.”
During the actual fight, Nurmagomedov (27-0) dominated McGregor (21-4) with his suffocating gameplan. While McGregor found some success in Round 3, he had no answer for Nurmagomedov in the opening two frames before succumbing to a neck crank halfway through the Round 4.