Former UFC lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov is unanimously regarded as the most dominant athlete to ever rule a UFC division. He commanded lightweight 2018 all the way till UFC 254 in October 2020 when he decided to relinquish the title. By then, he had accrued 3 title defenses with back-to-back stoppage wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
However, another Russian fighter lives on in the hearts of many as the GOAT- Fedor Emelianenko. Former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz spoke out in an interview and anointed ‘The Last Emperor’ as the greatest fighter, placing him above Jon Jones as well. However, even he couldn’t deny that perhaps Khabib Nurmagomedov had surpassed the entire pack to claim the title of GOAT.
Getty
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 06: Jan Blachowicz of Poland celebrates his win over Luke Rockhold in their light heavyweight fight during the UFC 239 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)|GettyImages
“If I had to choose between Fedor and Jon Jones, I’d chose Fedor. But in my opinion, Khabib is probably the best. As of today, I would call Khabib the greatest.”
According to him, Nurmagomedov has beat out names such as Fedor Emelianenko and Jon Jones. This is no small feat considering the lengthy reign of dominance that both men enjoyed as champions. Despite their stellar resumes, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dominance in a short span of time has convinced many of his GOAT status.
Also Read: Bellator Says Kevin Lee Negotiation Talks Never Happened
Khabib Nurmagomedov: Will he ever return to fighting?
Apart from the fact that fans love to debate his place in history, many fans also want to see Khabib Nurmagomedov launch a comeback. He retired on top at 29-0 and the MMA community wants to see him push the envelop and make it 30-0.
Getty
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – SEPTEMBER 07: Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia stands in his corner prior to his lightweight championship bout against Dustin Poirier during UFC 242 at The Arena on September 7, 2019 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
In the months following his retirement, UFC President Dana White made several attempts to cajole Nurmagomedov to make a comeback. However, ‘The Eagle’ ended up staying true to his word and has never even flirted with the idea of coming back.
However, there are a plethora of fun fights to make if he does decide to wrap up the four-once gloves once more. At the moment though, Khabib Nurmagomedov appears to be comfortable in his role as a coach and mentor. He continues to train as it is his passion but doesn’t seem interested to engage in active competition again.
Read this story- Event Recap: Best Highlights From Gervonta Davis vs Isaac Cruz
