"I really could break his arm" - Khabib Nurmagomedov revisits Conor McGregor undercard fight to explain reluctance to hurt opponents
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently opened up about his days as an MMA fighter and explained that he never intended to hurt his opponents. He drove his point home by recalling his fight against Michael Johnson at UFC 205 in November 2016, a card headlined by a lightweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez.
Nurmagomedov is widely considered to be the greatest 155-pound champion in UFC history and is known for his impeccable grappling skills. At UFC 205, 'The Eagle' defeated Johnson via third-round submission.
During a recent interview (via @babadzhanov07 on X), Nurmagomedov recalled catching Johnson in a kimura and explained why he encouraged 'The Menace' to tap instead of getting his arm broken. He said:
"When I was fighting with him [Johnson], I understand he is not my level and I give him advice. You know how this fight finished? With a submission, kimura. When I take his arm, I really can break his arm. But I don't do this, and I tell him, 'You have to tap'. And he tapped, and he finished. Everybody safe."
Nurmagomedov continued:
"Because my goal in this sport was not hurting people... When I have chance, why I have to hurt? I chose a different way."
Catch Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments below:
When Michael Johnson called Khabib Nurmagomedov the "toughest fight of his career"
In 2021, Michael Johnson reflected on his fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 205 and admitted he wasn't prepared to face an opponent of the Dagestani fighter's calibre.
During an interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Johnson was asked about the most challenging fight of his career. Calling Nurmagomedov the hardest fight of his professional career, 'The Menace' pointed out that he took the fight on short notice and said:
"I mean that's gotta be Khabib. It was rough, I took that fight on like 2-3 weeks notice which people really don't talk about which is fine, but I just wasn't that prepared to fight somebody [of] that caliber."
Catch Michael Johnson's comments below (2:35):