Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as one of the most dominant and disciplined fighters in the history of MMA. The former UFC lightweight champion completely dominated every opponent who stepped inside the Octagon to challenge his wrestling skills. In a sport where blood and injuries are common, the ‘Eagle’ retired undefeated, losing only a few rounds in total.

Khabib Nurmagomedov officially announced his retirement from the UFC in 2020 after successfully defending his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje. The Dagestani champion made the emotional and shocking decision soon after the tragic death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. 

At just thirty-two years old, Khabib Nurmagomedov still had much more to offer, but decided to retire while undefeated. In a recent interview, the former champion revealed how his mother and personal circumstances influenced his emotional decision to stop fighting.

“I think if my father was still alive, he would have made me fight a little bit longer because I had just turned 32 and finished. It’s hard to explain, everything happened so fast. When my father passed away…It was a very difficult situation, on one side the whole world was waiting for this fight, and on the other side my mother and I chose my mother’s side,” Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib Nurmagomedov shared a deeply emotional and disciplined relationship with his father, who served as his lifelong mentor and coach. Abdulmanap instilled in Khabib the values of humility, hard work, and respect, which became the foundation of his legendary fighting career. Following his father’s passing, Nurmagomedov has embraced his legacy by coaching teammates like Islam Makhachev and guiding Dagestan’s next generation.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s biggest challenge as a coach awaits at UFC 322

Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently focused on preparing Islam Makhachev for his title clash against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. With just one week remaining for the fight, both Makhachev and his mentor appear ready to entertain fans at Madison Square Garden. According to Nurmagomedov, JDM represents the biggest challenge of Makhachev’s career, and he expresses genuine concern as a coach. 

Going into the fight, Makhachev is the favorite to win the bout due to his incredible wrestling and current undefeated momentum. However, Della Maddelena is confident with his strategy and plans to break the Dagestani fighter and earn a finish. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see how Nurmagomedov helps his pupil take a second UFC belt. 

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