Simply put, Khabib Nurmagomedov should be in the greatest of all-time conversation. He proved why once again when he faced Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
A lot has always been made of Numagomedov’s wrestling (rightfully so), but what was most impressive about his bout with Gaethje was his ability to out-pressure the guy who is always out-pressuring everyone.
Nurmagomedov walked Gaethje down, showing off his underrated striking ability, while executing the game plan we’ve all gotten used to from “The Eagle.” The feverish pace on the fight continued once Nurmagomedov was able to get the fight to the floor.
Nurmagomedov masterfully transitioned from position to position, eventually throwing up a triangle choke that was simply too perfect for Gaethje to get out of. As Nurmagomedov stood up, leaving Gaethje on the canvas, the waterfall of emotions started flowing from the 29-0 UFC champion.
Overcome in the moment, Nurmagomedov decided to walk away from the sport, retiring as one of the biggest superstars MMA has ever seen.
