Khabib Nurmagomedov once left former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler awestruck due to his immense following. Nurmagomedov is conceivably the greatest martial artist to compete professionally, given his stellar unbeaten record of 29 wins and no losses. While many may argue that several of his opponents were relatively unknown, the fact remains that in a sport where the margin for error is nil, it takes a great fighter to go his entire career undefeated, let alone at the highest level.
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The absurd aspect of his bouts was just how dominant he was when he competed. A wrestling connoisseur at his base, Nurmagomedov utilized his superior ground game to “maul” his adversaries.
It earned him a repertoire for being the foremost fighter, bringing forth a revolution to the sport, which now placed its emphasis on wrestling. In fact, as a devout Muslim, it earned him celebrity status as he amassed numerous fans across the globe.
So substantial that it left a certain 155lbs title contender awestruck.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s immense support once left Michael Chandler shell-shocked!
At the time of his arrival in the UFC, Chandler played backup to Justin Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The latter two were competing for the Lightweight title at the time.
Chandler, who was the official backup for the fight, compared Nurmagomedov’s following to that of NBA superstar LeBron James and NFL megastar, Tom Brady combined.
Michael Chandler, UFC lightweight and former Bellator MMA champion, is in the house.
Chandler is a prominent replacement #UFC254 fighter should anything happen to Justin Gaethje or Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of Saturday’s main event.#UFCFightIsland pic.twitter.com/LjTMG4t0Xn
— Al Dawson (@AlanDawsonSport) October 20, 2020
Iron Mike said:
“It’s amazing … he’s like LeBron James and Tom Brady put together in these other countries. And he’s looked at like that celebrity, athlete, and he’s treated like it. If people knew the opportunities and life that mixed martial arts can afford a kid from Dagestan, or the middle of nowhere — Missouri — like me, It’s a really cool success story.”
Considering he is a Muslim, a vast number of Nurmagomedov’s supporters originate from the Middle East and Asia. With all his laurels, the Eagle has attained celebrity status. He now exudes an aura and personality, similar to that of the great Muhammad Ali.
There is a specific reason that the UFC began to pay Abu Dhabi a visit to host a few of their pay-per-views. Apart from COVID-19 being a hurdle to their venues, Nurmagomedov’s gigantic presence was a pivotal factor.
Khabib Nurmagomedov leaves the fight game!
Since his retirement in 2020, the 34-year-old has immersed himself in the role of a mentor to his friends and family, following in his father’s footsteps.
He has successfully helped, his protégé, Islam Makhachev, capture the UFC Lightweight title. In addition, his cousins, Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov have dismantled the Bellator lightweight division and the UFC bantamweight division respectively, under his tutelage.
It was recently revealed, however, that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be closing the door on his coaching career, as he intends to spend the remainder of his life with his family.
For however long it lasted, it was a tremendous experience and a terrific run for the Russian who has cemented his place in MMA history.
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