Khabib Nurmagomedov's father wants him to retire from UFC in 2018

UFC 209 co-main event star Khabib Nurmagomedov's father, Abdulmanap Nurmaomedov, wants "The Eagle" to finish his career in one-and-a-half years.

The Dagestan native is currently 8-0 in the UFC and 24-0 in MMA as he prepares to take on Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title on 4 March.

The winner of that fight is expected to face lightweight champion Conor McGregor for the belt – something Nurmagomedov has been dreaming of for years.

However, despite the huge surge in popularity for Khabib ever since UFC 205 his father wants his son to retire when he turns 30 in 2018.

"I don't want to upset any fans but Khabib is 28 years old and by 30 he has to finish his career," Abdulmanap explained as quoted on MMAMania. "I've never voiced this opinion before, didn't talk about it to anyone. But I'm afraid he's got left 1.5 years."

The reasoning behind the statement is that Abdulmanap wants to keep his son healthy and possibly coach other future fighters.

"I want him as a healthy, thinking person," he added. "I want him to develop other fighters. In such a big sport, a career between 24-30 years old is enough."

In another development, Nurmagomedov's father was recently denied a visa to the United States and will miss his son's fight with Ferguson at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, this has been a recurring issue with Abdulmanap as his son explained.

"Before my last fight with Michael Johnson, we tried to make visa," Khabib explained on the MMA Hour. "This is old news, but this now has become new news. When I fight in USA, when I sign in 2012 to fight in UFC, he never can come and support me because we have problem with visa."

"I am fighting eighth time without my father. It's okay. He prayed for me, with me all the time with my heart. We talk with him everyday about my weight, my plan, my everything. My father is with me all the time, it's no problem."