Khabib Nurmagomedov got a hard fought win at UFC 254 over Justin Gaethje. He won by submission in the second round, marking three consecutive title fight submission finishes. However, this fight would also end up being the final one for Khabib, who made a promise to his mother that he will retire after this fight, as his father isn’t there with him anymore.

Georges St-Pierre was long linked to a high-profile fight with Khabib, serving as possibly the final bouts of two GOATS. When asked by Ariel Helwani whether GSP will call out the now-retired Khabib, he had this to say.

“Normally, I would. But because of the circumstances, I would never dare to do that. I am not in his shoes and he is going through a tough time because his father passed away. He needs time to mourn his father. I respect Khabib a lot, but what we do is a sport.

“This goes beyond sport on the human side. I just wish him and his family the best. I am very happy as a fan of Khabib to see the way he finished his career. As a competitor, I would have liked to have had an agreement to make a fight with him. For us as fighters and the fans. But as a human being, I am very very happy for him.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov breaks the trend of MMA retirements

Retirements in MMA don’t mean much. We have seen multiple fighters retire and un-retire. Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva are two high-profile examples. Over the last year, we have seen retired fighters like Alexander Gustafsson and Stefan Struve return, with another retiree in Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson looking to return.

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But Khabib’s retirement clearly means more. His relationship with his family and his principles have long been on display. He said in his retirement interview that he never breaks his word, and that has resonated. It has resonated so much that GSP recognizes that this is no show retirement, but a very real one.

Khabib’s journey has met a very natural end for someone who was in his prime. Which is why everyone respects it, and fighters like GSP will choose to honor it.