Did Khabib Nurmagomedov retire after fighting Conor McGregor? Know the exact reason behind 'The Eagle's' abrupt exit from the world of MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts with an impressive professional record of 29-0.
In January 2012, 'The Eagle' made his official debut at UFC on FX 1, when he defeated Kamal Shalorus by third-round submission to improve his record to 17-0. After eight more victories while competing for the UFC lightweight belt, he advanced through the ranks and faced Al Iaquinta in April 2018 at UFC 223.
After defeating Iaquinta by unanimous decision, Nurmagomedov cemented his legacy with a historic three-fight run against Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.
Did Khabib Nurmagomedov retire after fighting Conor McGregor?
Khabib Nurmagomedov didn't retire after fighting Conor McGregor. History was created at UFC 229 when Nurmagomedov and McGregor squared off against each other for the UFC Lightweight Championship. Despite putting on a display, McGregor was forced to tap out of the fight early in the fourth round.
Check out their full fight below:
Nurmagomedov then went on to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 242. It was 'The Diamond's first shot at the lightweight belt, but it came to an end with him suffering a loss at the hands of Nurmagomedov. 'The Eagle' submitted Poirier in the third round with a rear-naked choke.
Check out the post below:
Nurmagomedov's father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, played a significant role in shaping his fighting career. Unfortunately, Abdulmanap's COVID-19-related difficulties caused his demise in July 2020.
After his father passed away, Nurmagomedov disclosed that his mother wanted him to retire. With Nurmagomedov just two fights away from a perfect 30-0 record, there was much speculation over his next move. Instead, he retired one win shy of the milestone.
In October 2020, Nurmagomedov faced Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout at UFC 254. The Russian legend did what he does best and successfully submitted Gaethje in the second round with a triangle choke.
Fans will always wonder what would have occurred if Nurmagomedov hadn't chosen to retire early, regardless of how much time has passed. Had Nurmagomedov made it to 35-0? Would he have been defeated by a more ferocious opponent? The world will never know.
Ever since, there have been rumors that Nurmagomedov has been approached for a number of high-profile bouts. Although the legitimacy of those claims is unknown, one thing has stayed constant, Nurmagomedov refuses to go against his mother's wishes and return after his father passed away.
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov announce his retirement from MMA below: