In a game of blood, there was once a man who had no scratches on him. That man is Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former undisputed lightweight champion of the world. With a professional record of 29-0, there’s hardly any fighter that comes close to ‘The Eagle’. Nurmagomedov’s fight with Conor McGregor was the highlight of his career and that fight was nothing less than a war in the Octagon.
Six years have passed since their bout and Khabib Nurmagomedov has since retired from the world of MMA. However, their rivalry is far from over. In his latest confession, Nurmagomedov has asserted that he would have completely choked out Conor McGregor that day. For a man who prides himself on his professionalism and his respect for the spirit of the sport, this is quite an unusual confession.
Khabib Nurmagomedov opens up about his violent side
There was an absolute madness of rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. The buildup for the fight was insane. Long before the fight was announced Conor McGregor had attacked not only Nurmagomedov’s bus, injuring his colleagues. In the lead-up to the fight, the Notorious had gone after his family and religion. So when the gates of the Octagon closed behind them, the Eagle wasn’t just looking for a win; it was more than just another fight for him.
Both fighters entered the octagon ready for battle, and they delivered just that. However, in the fourth round, ‘The Eagle’ got hold of McGregor, and tapped him out. Nurmagomedov didn’t stop there either. He jumped the cage and there was a brawl between the two teams. The entire fiasco is remembered as one of the most stressful days in UFC history. However, according to Nurmagomedov, he had worse things in mind even before they reached the weigh-in phase of the PPV.
He recently spoke about the fateful night and said that he would have smothered McGregor on the day of their face-off “Would I have let go? No, I wouldn’t have. It’s that moment when your emotional state reaches its peak, touching the ceiling. He and I knew what we were going for. It’s not like when you meet someone on the street and start choking him. He is one of the best fighters in the world. We were appointed to fight in half a year; we go out and find out who is the best. Would I kill him? I don’t think I would kill him but to the point of passing out, yes.”
However, Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from the world of MMA after his father and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s demise. “Eagle’ has been living a life away from MMA now. Despite often being touted by many as the greatest lightweight of all time, the Dagestan native doesn’t miss the violence.
Nurmagomedov opens up about leaving MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s last fight was against Justin Gaethje. After defeating the ‘Highlight’, the ‘Eagle’took the mic to shock the entire world. He stated that he was relinquishing his title and he would be retiring from MMA once and for all. This sent tremors across the MMA community, however, everyone respected the decision of the champion. It is been four years since that day and ‘Eagle’ seems to be having a peaceful life.
“It’s nothing special. But I’m living like all other people, it’s like a normal life. I have family, kids, and I have myself. I’m traveling a lot, traveling around the world almost everywhere, and trying to inspire people. You know, sometimes we make meet and greet like this here… Nothing special, a normal life. It’s not like I’m retired from coaching. Like sometimes I go to the gym and share my knowledge and my experience with my brothers. It’s not about retiring [from coaching]. But with MMA, going to cornering in fight week, with this kind of stuff, I’m done.” said Nurmagomedov in a press event.
Now, the Eagle’s legacy lives on with Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov in the UFC. The base that Khabib Nurmagomedov has built for the Dagestani fighters has inspired many fighters from small nations to take the risk to fight to reach the zenith. What’s your opinion on ‘Eagle’s career?
