'Worthily and convincingly': Putin meets, congratulates Khabib

First it was a phone call, now it’s an in-person meeting with his president for the UFC lightweight champion.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defeated Conor McGregor in UFC 229’s main event over the weekend, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. The two met on the sidelines of the “Russia — Country of Sports” forum in Ulyanovsk, according to the Russian international TV site, RT.

Khabib was joined by his father and trainer, Abdulmanap, and the three spoke over tea and pastries.

Putin congratulated the Russian fighter and asked his father not to punish him “too strictly” for what happened post-fight. Khabib jumped over the cage and into the crowd after his win via fourth-round submission and started a fight. Three members of Khabib’s team were arrested.

“I will ask you father not to punish you too strictly, because you achieved the main task, worthily and convincingly,” Putin said, according to RT.

His father condemned Khabib’s role in the brawl, saying he “will be very hard on this. I warned him. For me, discipline comes first.”