Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Lore & Background

Nurmagomedov was born to an Avar family on 20 September 1988 in the village of Sildi in the Tsumadinsky District of the Dagestan ASSR, Soviet Union. He has an older brother, Magomed, and younger sister, Amina. His interest in martial arts began when watching students training at the gym his father built in their two-story building. Khabib's training as a child included wrestling a bear when he was nine years old. He began wrestling at age eight under his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, a decorated athlete and veteran of the Soviet Army who dedicated his life to coaching youth in Dagestan. In 2001, his family moved to Makhachkala, where he trained in wrestling from age 12, judo from 15, and combat sambo under his father at 17. He made his professional MMA debut in September 2008, compiling four wins in under a month. On 11 October 2008, he became the inaugural Atrium Cup tournament champion, having defeated his three opponents at the Moscow event. Over the next three years, he went undefeated, finishing 11 out of 12 opponents. A 16–0 record in regional circuits generated interest from the UFC, though a contract dispute with ProFC led to 11 court cases; after losing six and winning five, an agreement was reached and Khabib continued his career. In the UFC, Nurmagomedov defeated Kamal Shalorus via submission in the third round at UFC on FX 1 on 20 January 2012. He defeated Gleison Tibau via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) at UFC 148 on 7 July 2012. He won via KO in the first round against Thiago Tavares on 19 January 2013 at UFC on FX 7; Tavares later tested positive for Drostanolone and received a nine-month suspension. At UFC 160 on 25 May 2013, he defeated Abel Trujillo via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) after coming in over the weight limit, and set a UFC record for most takedowns in a single fight with 21 successful takedowns out of 28 attempts. He defeated Pat Healy via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) at UFC 165 on 21 September 2013. He defeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) at UFC on Fox 11 on 19 April 2014. His bout against Conor McGregor at UFC 229 was seen as one of the most controversial and heated rivalries in the sport. Following Nurmagomedov's submission victory, he jumped out of the cage and attacked Conor McGregor's teammates, leading to one of the most intense brawls in the UFC octagon, resulting in a nine-month suspension and a $500,000 fine by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. UFC 229 also marked the highest PPV in UFC history, selling around 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. He retired with an undefeated record of 29 wins and no losses, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on June 30, 2022.

Reader's Guide

Khabib Nurmagomedov's significance lies in his undefeated record of 29 wins and no losses, his status as the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion (April 2018 to March 2021), and his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame on June 30, 2022. He is widely considered among the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Fight Matrix ranks him as the #1 lightweight of all time. At the time of his retirement, he was ranked #1 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings until being removed following his title vacation in March 2021. In 2019, Forbes ranked Nurmagomedov as the No. 1 most successful Russian athlete; he also topped the list of the 40 most successful Russian show business and sports personalities under 40. After retirement, he transitioned to being a full-time coach and cornerman before retiring from the sport completely in January 2023. He founded Eagles MMA and promoted the Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC). Throughout his career, Nurmagomedov has become the subject of many controversies, including a longstanding affiliation with Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, questionable affiliations with oligarchs, advocacy for increased cultural censorship, and misogynism. His rivalry with Conor McGregor and the subsequent brawl at UFC 229 remain defining moments in UFC history.

Did You Know?

• Khabib wrestled a bear when he was nine years old.
• He set a UFC record for most takedowns in a single fight (21) against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160.
• UFC 229, featuring his fight against Conor McGregor, sold around 2.4 million pay-per-view buys, the highest in UFC history.
• He had 11 court cases with ProFC over his UFC contract before an agreement was reached.
• Forbes ranked him as the No. 1 most successful Russian athlete in 2019.