Watch: When Khabib Nurmagomedov broke the UFC record for most number of takedowns in a fight
Eight years ago today, Khabib Nurmagomedov broke the UFC record for the most number of takedowns in a fight.
Many fans know Khabib Nurmagomdevod to be one of the greatest fighters of all time and the best in the history of the lightweight division. He retired last year with an unbeaten 29-0 record in MMA, finishing his career with a lethal submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
Khabib Nurmagomedov - The takedown machine
Back in 2013, Khabib Nurmagomedov was just an intriguing rising star in the UFC who was beginning to build some momentum in the 155-pound division. At UFC 160, he went to war with Abel Trujillo in what can only be described as one of the most convincing wins of his entire run.
The Eagle truly battered and bruised Trujillo in more ways than one, landing an absolutely insane 21 takedowns in the process. It was the kind of performance that let everyone know he was going to be a champion someday or, at the very least, a contender.
The fight was made a 158.5-lbs catchweight bout after Khabib Nurmagomdevod was unable to make the required weight for a lightweight contest. While that may have been a black mark against him, Trujillo poked the bear and lit a fire underneath Nurmagomedov to really go out there and perform.
The next phase of Khabib Nurmagomedov's tenure in MMA and his overall path moving forward is unclear. He made a promise to his mother that he would not compete again in the UFC after the Gaethje win. However, there’s always a chance he could decide to pursue establishing a 30-0 record somewhere down the road.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has plans to build his own promotion while also focusing on his new coaching coach. He has corned Islam Makhachev, who is currently tipped to be the next big thing in the lightweight division.