UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov abruptly announced his retirement from the sport after defeating his last opponent Justin Gaethje last Saturday night on Yas Island Abu Dhabi
“The Eagle” recorded his 29th career victory against Gaethje within the second round. However, it is time to look at Khabib’s five best victories over the course of his whole fighting career.
20th January 2012 – Khabib vs Kamal Shalorus
Khabib beat his first UFC opponent back in 2012 when people barely knew of his existence. He took down the opponent in his classic signature way by keeping him down on the floor while smashing him that eventually made Shalorus give up resulting in a painful submission
19th January 2013 – Khabib vs Thiago Tavares
Back in 2013 when Thiago Tavares was one of the most promising UFC fighters of his time, Khabib fearlessly wore a shirt which said “If Sambo was easy it would be called Ju Jitsu” while the Brazilian crowd in Tavares’s support was heard chanting “You’re dead”. Even though the Brazilian fighter was extremely confident about taking Khabib down, he was seen unconscious two minutes after the fight started and you know what happened next.
12th November 2016 – Khabib vs Michael Johnson
Khabib showed all of his submission potential on this American opponent and by the third round Johnson was extremely exhausted and demolished by the cage, this technique is feared by all his opponents as it is his signature move. Having established control over his opponent with both hands and feet, while speaking to him and asking him to surrender, Johnson refused to do so however, Khabib finally had to make his final move known as ‘Kimura’ which resulted in fracturing Johnsons shoulder.
6th October 2018 – Khabib vs Conor Mcgregor
This was the most important and entertaining fight throughout his career as this made him famous globally. As Khabib mentioned this was more than just a fight and it was “personal” to him and it definitely looked that way too. He took him out by a tight lock around the Irishmens neck which forced Mcgregor to tap for submission. “The Eagle” still did not stop and took the fight outside the octagon too.
24th October 2020 – Khabib vs Justin Gaethje
The icing on the cake, he took Gaethje out in the in the first few minutes of the second round only and marked himself as the most dominant UFC champion of all time.
Enjoy you well deserved retirement, Eagle!
