“Today, I want to say this was my last fight. Ain’t no way I’m going to come here without my father” - these words from UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, left the mixed martial arts world shocked, and emotional.
On October 25, 2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship saw Nurmagomedov, 36, win a fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, setting an undefeated professional record of 29-0. He secured victory in the second round with an impeccable MMA performance. But, it was the moments after the fight that revealed a different side of the usually stoic and fierce Russian fighter, as he broke down in the center of the Octagon.
Tears streamed down Nurmagomedov's face as he finally released the pain he had been carrying during his first fight without his father by his side. This was his first fight after the death of his father and trainer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He passed away in early July 2020 after complications from a COVID-19 infection that had led to his hospitalisation since April, sending shockwaves in the MMA community.
As soon as the fight was over, Nurmagomedov laid his gloves down in the Octagon, indicating his retirement. He thanked God, his father, his team and everyone for their support and love.
“I know only one thing I want from UFC on Tuesday: you guys must put me as number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world because I deserve this. Undisputed UFC lightweight champion, 13-0. 13 in the UFC and 29 in all my pro UFC career. I think I deserve this,” he said, ending his emotional speech by sharing that this was his father’s dream.
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Nurmagomedov is one of the most followed Russians on Instagram with more than 37.4 million followers as of October 2024. He is from Dagestan, Russia, and is the first Muslim to win a UFC title. Here is a look at his life on the 4th anniversary of his retirement:
Khabib Nurmagomedov in September 2019
Faith and Personal Beliefs
Nurmagomedov, a devout Muslim, has been talking a lot about how his faith has impacted his life. In 2022, his team released a video on his YouTube channel, exploring how the teachings of Islam shaped his life and fueled his success-a powerful chapter in a series chronicling his transformation from an unknown fighter to becoming a world champion and, ultimately, to being a coach.
In the video, he says that many Muslims hesitate to disclose their faith. “Some people don’t like this, but who cares? My religion teaches this to me to be a nice person, to be a good man, to be a good family man. To be a good neighbour, to be a good friend.”
Similarly, in August 2024, he was interviewed for the Islam Channel where he talked about how to be a proud Muslim. He has also voiced his support for the Palestinian cause on social media several times.
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The Muslim Money Experts Ep.1: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Coaching Career
After his retirement, Nurmagomedov, nicknamed ‘The Eagle’, became a coach with the American Kickboxing Academy’s head coach, Javier Mendez. He went on to train UFC champion Islam Makhachev, who is also his cousin. Coach Khabib will be called into action early on Saturday night when his first pupil, flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov, makes the walk to the Octagon to face Clayton Carpenter. The No.
Khabib with his student and UFC champion Islam Makhachev
Business Ventures
The same year, he also bought what was known as the Gorilla Fighting Championship, a Russian MMA promotion company for one million dollars. He renamedit Eagle Fighting Championship.
Acts of Kindness and Recognition
He won hearts in 2021 by granting a 66-year-old fan her birthday wish by meeting her in Las Vegas - the meeting was set up by Dana White, the CEO and president of UFC. In 2022, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Last year, he opened Khabib Gym -- a world-class fitness centre located in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The gym offers a range of training options for young aspiring fighters, including cardio and weight training equipment, group fitness classes, private training sessions, and nutrition and wellness coaching.
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It also offers specialised programmes such as mixed martial arts training, wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Legacy and Influence
“Everybody has their own way but I choose to represent my religion and to be proud of it,” he said.
“Non-Muslims don't read the Qur'an, they don't read the Hadith, they read you. Nurmagomedov told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that, since his retirement, he’s wanted just one thing: to spend time away from mixed martial arts with his family and kids.
“I have to share my knowledge with brothers, too, because when I was on the way to become champion, I was on the way to defend my titles, they was with me: Umar [Nurmagomedov], Islam [Makhachev], Tagir [Ulanbekov] - like all these brothers,” Nurmagomedov said. “They was with me; they was helping me.
“A couple days ago, we was talking with Islam and Tagir and we’re like, it’s been 18 years we’ve traveled together and fight together in other amateur sports, then we moved to professionals and so many training camps together. It’s something amazing.
The Rise of a Champion
The name to most in the world of MMA comes as Khabib Nurmagomedov, also known for well-placed dominance and inability to being defeated. He simply always captivated fans' hearts all over the world through his impressive skills and unbreakable determination on them.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a sportsman from the rugged mountains of Dagestan, Russia. He had an interest in combative sports since his youth days, and he received training from his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who is a well-known trainer. The athlete became a champion by integrating wrestling, sambo, and judo techniques.
But Khabib's professional MMA debut in 2008 marked the opening of the floodgates of a career that would go down in history as one of the greatest ever seen in this fighting sport. With each and every fight, Khabib showed he had impressive grappling skills, suffocating his opponents with his signature attacks through ground-and-pound action.
Khabib's tenure as a UFC lightweight champion is well-characterized by dominance in the large number of performance. His undefeated streak he took further to a record of 29-0. He is speaking volumes for his skills, resilience, and strategic brilliance. Khabib has always dominated his opponents from the top shelf, thus leaving an imperishable mark in the game.
Some of his great fights include winning against Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Rafael dos Anjos. Since his retirement from MMA, Khabib has been busy with many things. He was the rival-motivation for Khabib, training with him all those years and stepping the limits as much as possible whenever the opportunity was there.
Besides his coaching practice, Khabib is heavily occupied with business.
| Accomplishment | Details |
|---|---|
| UFC Lightweight Champion | Longest-reigning champion (April 2018 - March 2021) |
| Professional Record | 29-0 (Undefeated) |
| Awards | Performance of the Night (Three times) |
| Hall of Fame | UFC Hall of Fame Inductee (2022) |