According to a number of Russian sources, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov of Dagestan owes a large sum to the Russian government in the form of taxes.
Multiple sources, including Mash, Russian Today, and Big News Network, are reporting that the former UFC champion owes the Russian Federal Tax Services 306 million rubles, or approximately $3.3 million.
As a result of this debt, several bank accounts connected to Nurmagomedov are said to have been blocked, including his own bank account, the account for his Eagle FC mixed martial arts promotion, and an account connected to Nurmagomedov’s charity fund.
Khabib Nurmagomedov participated in a number of business ventures following his retirement from the Octagon in 2020, and Russian tax authorities noticed issues with the undefeated former lightweight champion when he relinquished ownership of several of these firms.
There are allegations that friends and family of Nurmagomedov’s, however, remained in charge at the firms he supposedly relinquished ownership of.
Eagle FC Could Face Closure After Reports Surface Of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Tax Debt
Once the country’s Federal Tax Services launched into investigation into Nurmagomedov, several of his businesses ended up closing after irregularities were discovered in the tax documents of Nurmagomedov and his businesses.
It is currently unknown what fate could await the Eagle FC promotion as a result of these measures, though there is the potential that the MMA promotion could be forced to close as well.
Originally known as Gorilla Fighting Championship, the promotion was re-established as Eagle Fighting Championship after Khabib Nurmagomedov bought the promotion for $1 million.
Eagle FC has not held an event since November 2023 and currently has no card scheduled. The state of the promotion was already uncertain, and the recent reports have only added doubt to the organization’s continuation.
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired at 29-0 while UFC lightweight champion, with his last fight occuring at UFC 254 in October 2020, defeating Justin Gaethje.