Khabib Nurmagomedov will use his father's tragic death as motivation for his fight with Justin Gaethje, his gym-mate said

• Justin Gaethje will be the "toughest opponent" of Khabib Nurmagomedov's entire career, the Russian's gym-mate at the American Kickboxing Academy, Dan Cormier, said.
• Gaethje is a striking expert who produced one of the most significant combat sports victories of the year when he stopped Tony Ferguson in the fifth round of the first major pandemic era fight card, in May.
• Two months later, Nurmagomedov's father Abdulmanap died aged 57 after battling the coronavirus.
• Cormier said the fighter will use the family tragedy as motivation heading into the October lightweight championship match.

Khabib Nurmagomedov will use his father's recent death as motivation ahead of his fight with Justin Gaethje, his gym-mate Dan Cormier said.

Nurmagomedov defends his UFC lightweight championship in a title unification match against the interim belt holder Gaethje, at UFC 254 on October 24 at a to-be-determined location.

Though Nurmagomedov has signature wins over Rafael dos Anjos, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier, it is Gaethje, according to Cormier, who will be the Dagestani sambo expert's "toughest opponent."

In an interview with the Yahoo Sports boxing and MMA columnist Kevin Iole, Cormier, a former UFC heavyweight champion who fights Stipe Miocic on Saturday, spoke about the high-stakes 155-pound match-up in two months' time.

The bout follows family tragedy for Nurmagomedov, who has been mourning the passing of his father and trainer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Abdulmanap died aged 57 in July, after battling the coronavirus.

"Sometimes you need distractions and you need motivations in different forms," Cormier said. "I think Khabib will use [his father's death] as motivation. He's a professional. He's a pro's pro and he's going to prepare himself to the best of his ability."

Regarding the actual fight, Nurmagomedov's task is to defeat Gaethje, who produced one of the most significant combat sports victories of the year when he "tortured" the previously dominant mixed martial artist Tony Ferguson in a striking masterclass in May.

In the bout, the main event of UFC's first pandemic era event, Gaethje pounded Ferguson for four rounds, before stopping him in the fifth.

Cormier called Gaethje the "toughest opponent" for Nurmagomedov, adding: "I think the vast majority of the world feels that this is the toughest guy for him at 155 [pounds].

"I think he'll be okay. His ability to train and prepare for this and continue to work toward the goal that him and his father had together will allow him to maybe come to terms with everything that's happening around him."

Cormier and Nurmagomedov share a trainer in Javier Mendez, who runs the acclaimed American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California.

Cormier said Mendez will be working with him, cornering him for the Miocic trilogy bout this weekend at UFC 252, before leaving for Russia to connect with Nurmagomedov and fine-tune a strategy intended to defeat Gaethje.

"The team will prepare him to the best of his ability, but he'll also be around his family who loves him, and now he'll see Javier from here, another familiar face who will help him to get through a difficult time as he prepares to defend his title again," Cormier said.

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