UFC Undefeated Champ Khabib Retires After Emotional Win At UFC 254 Saturday
By Cassandra Cousineau for LVSportsBiz.com
For the first time in a decade, UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov entered a professional MMA fight Saturday without his father by his side.
On July 3 in Moscow, Khabib’s dad, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, died from complications from the COVID-19 coronavirus, which has killed more than 1 million worldwide. Father and son were incredibly close. It was a game-changer for the undefeated UFC lightweight champion.
And today, the passing of Abdulmanap became a historical shift for Las Vegas-based UFC when the son honored his father by retiring from the fight game after defeating the interim belt holder, Justin Gaethje.
At UFC 254 at the so-called “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, Khabib Nurmagomedov proved he was the best lightweight on the planet. In barely two rounds of work, and less than seven minutes, Nurmagomedov submitted Gaethje in a triangle choke.
Becoming champion was a dream he shared with his father. From the epic videos of a young Khabib wrestling a bear, to the PPV-shattering fight with Conor McGregor, the dream became a reality.
When it was all over Saturday, Khabib dropped his gloves in the octagon with his record of 29-0 intact. The 32-year-old Dagestan native dropped to the canvas after his win and wept.
Today, I want to say, this was my last fight. No way am I going to come here without my father. It was first time, after what happened with my father, when UFC called me about Justin. I talk with my mother three days, she don’t want that I go fight without father. I promised her, it’s going to be my last fight, and if I give my word, I have to follow this. It was my last fight here in UFC. — Khabib Nurmagomedov
Still breathing heavily from the match, Nurmagomedov added, “I know only one thing I want from UFC, you guys have to be me on No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, because I deserve this. UFC undisputed, undefeated lightweight champion, 13-0, 13 in UFC, 29 in all pro MMA career. I think I deserve it.”
Even though we are in an era where not only are fighters more skilled than ever, the overall talent pool is deeper than at any point in the history of professional fighting. We’ll probably never see another fighter like Khabib Nurmagomedov again. He was never knocked down or cut in a professional MMA contest. Even more impressive is he was a fighter who has mauled opponents and wrestled his way to an undefeated record in one of the sport’s toughest divisions.
Khabib’s exit, if he sticks to his word, has immediate ramifications for the Las Vegas-based promotion, which relies on fighters from around the world from Brazil to China to generate PPV revenues. UFC doesn’t have a shortage of championship contenders. That list includes Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, and Dustin Poirer. What is unknown is which of the lightweight fighters on its roster can fill the void of this international marketing superstar, Khabib.
Although Khabib has been matched with McGregor, the Irishman is actually a 170-pound welterweight who moonlights at 155. McGregor appeared to come out of his most recent retirement after Khabib announced his retirement.
McGregor wrote on Twitter, “Good performance Khabib. I will carry on. Respect and condolences on your father again also. To you and family. Yours sincerely, The McGregors.”
If managing to gather himself to fight Justin Gaethe after the passing of his father over the summer wasn’t enough, UFC president Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that Khabib had been in the hospital with broken toes just three weeks prior.
Nurmagomedov’s coach also told Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole that the fighter had to miss two weeks of camp due to a case of the mumps in mid-September. Apparently, he hadn’t been vaccinated.
“What this guy’s been through, we’re all lucky that we got to see him fight tonight,” a seemingly exhausted UFC President Dana White said. “Apparently he was in the hospital, he broke his foot three weeks ago. So he has two broken toes and a bone in his foot that is broken or something like that. That’s what his corner was telling me. He is one of the toughest human beings on the planet.”
White added, “He’s the number one pound for pound fighter in the world. You seriously have to start putting him up there at GOAT status with whoever else you think is the GOAT.”
