X/@TeamKhabib
Khabib Nurmagomedov, having retired as a UFC champion, experienced a strong backlash for involving his late father and legendary trainer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, while advertising a digital collectible. The undefeated Khabib posted a video showing him presenting the ‘Papakha’—a digital collectible of a traditional Caucasian wool hat—after the launching of the messaging app, claiming it was his father’s legacy he was keeping alive. His fans around the globe did not hesitate to express their disdain, calling the fighter a “money-grabber” for the reason of using the death of his father.
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In the advertisement video, Khabib speaks directly to the spectators. “Do you see, do you get it? My dad gave this to me,” he states. “Now I give it to them. Even online we can share what is important.” The video was accompanied by the words: “My Father passed this down to me. Now, I want to pass this down to you. Give respect with the Papakha.” Many saw this whole issue as crossing a line; a sacred private history that had been commercially exploited.
The negative feedback was swift and severe. A major part of the responses showed a great deal of disappointment, thinking that the fighter’s slow but sure image of honor and morality had been shattered. A user voiced the collective feeling expressing his disbelief: “Are you kidding me? You looked all the respectable, majestic, and principled, only to sell out your own father for a crypto scam? lol.” The comment is an extreme contrast to Nurmagomedov’s public image and the new venture he undertook.
Another user gave a more straightforward, brutal critique aimed at the emotional side of the case. “Using your deceased father to promote a product,” was the comment directed at one person. “People said you were a scam artist but I didn’t believe it, this proves that you really are. This is disgusting.” It is quite clear that the tone of the comments is quite aggressive, and the fighter had gained such a high stature amongst the people that there was a strong sense of personal betrayal. The mention of his father’s death was considered especially inappropriate.
Critics mostly expressed their views in terms of comparisons, with many people freeing the similarities between the current scandal and the already infamous case of UFC fighter Conor McGregor. One user simply commented “Conor was right about you,” referring to the accusations made by the Irish fighter in the past. Another one made a broader comparison when he said, “Lmfao using your dead father for a crypto scam is worst than everything McGregor did wtf.” This means that for some, Khabib’s choice of business partner was more damaging to his reputation than any of the fierce verbal altercations during the rivalry.
One characteristic of the critical replies was that of an overwhelming disbelief among the public. They were asking, “Why would a famous athlete with a presumed fortune get involved in such a thing?” One person voice her disbelief, “Surely, you have enough money not to resort to this trash lol.” Another one mused, “Damn you must be in serious debt/fraud trouble,” suggesting that the possibly not too desperate financial situation might be the only reason for this decision.
The item that was the subject of all the controversy was: A digital collectible tied to a messaging app—was constantly labeled as a “scam” in the comments, regardless of its actual mechanics. “Crypto scams is not the way dude,” one user warned. Another one quipped: “Woo-hoo $PPKHA coin is coming,” humorously assigning a cryptocurrency ticker to the traditional hat. This kind of skepticism indicates a wider public distrust towards the celebrity-backed digital asset projects.
A few of the comments tried to be more sarcastic and rhetorical, associating the criticism with Khabib’s religion. One user stated, “For a salafist Muslim you are very innovative with your scams,” implying the perceived irony that a person with such a conservative religious view should practice the speculative activities of modernity, and thus, the very promotion they were criticizing was a scam. Another comment, which was first written in Russian and then translated, stated: “Well, everyone loves Jewish money,” thus providing geopolitical cynicism for the debate.
Nevertheless, there were a few comments that attempted to either justify or at least clarify the nature of the offering amidst the outrage. One participant in the discussion argued, “How is this a scam? Telegram has been selling stickers for a long time, nobody promises you profits from it. It’s collectibles…” However, this viewpoint was a clear minority in the sea of negative feedback.
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The online community was united in their feeling of disillusionment. A last, brief comment seemed to summarize well the emotional toll on his fanbase: “What the actual fuck. How much aura can you lose in a