On October 24, 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov fought Justin Gaethje for the final time inside the Octagon at UFC 254. After submitting ‘The Highlight’, the lightweight legend retired with a perfect 29–0 record and has not competed since. Still, five years after ‘The Eagle’s retirement, fans often wonder how he would stack up against today’s generation if he were still active. Well, a recent viral video might offer an answer to that question, as the Dagestani icon just outwrestled Alex Pereira’s coach.

In the clip, the former lightweight champion can be seen involved in a grappling session with former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira. The clip of their training on the mat at the American Kickboxing Academy immediately went viral on the internet. From the footage, it looked like Khabib consistently got the better of Teixeira, despite him having competed three weight classes above him.

Khabib Nurmagomedov overpowers Glover Teixeira

“Glover Teixeira grapples with Khabib Nurmagomedov, two legends sharing the mat 🤼‍♂️🔥,” Red Corner MMA captioned the clip originally shared by Alex Pereira’s coach. In the video, Glover Teixeira initially pinned Khabib Nurmagomedov against the wall and looked to secure a takedown. However, Khabib calmly reversed the position and took the former 205-pound champion down with a clean foot sweep. Following that clip, another one showed ‘The Eagle’ controlling the 46-year-old on the mat from guard.

Khabib’s grappling dominance is nothing new, as he has already submitted some of the best lightweights of his era. But watching him impose his will on a fighter nearly 50 pounds heavier, and possibly even heavier now that Glover is out of competition, made the moment stand out even more. Add the fact that Teixeira is an elite grappler himself, and the scenario becomes even more impressive.

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Teixeira stands at 6’ 2” and fought at 205 pounds. He shared the cage with Jon Jones and submitted Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267 to win the light heavyweight title. Beyond the UFC, the Minas Gerais native also competed for Brazil’s national wrestling team and holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

So even in a friendly training session, watching Khabib casually off balance and sweep someone of that caliber showed just how sharp his muscle memory still is, even after over five years away from competition. And with him looking this active at 37, it is definitely commendable.

Now, with the Dagestani having fully cemented his legacy and once again showing he still has it by going toe to toe with a former champion, it feels like the ‘GOAT’ status is slowly slipping from his hands.

Paddy Pimblett names ‘The Eagle’s’ protégé as surpassing him in the GOAT debate 

In the greatest MMA fighters debate, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s name comes up in almost every Mount Rushmore conversation. Because of his lasting legacy, influence, and sheer dominance, fans and experts often place the Dagestani alongside Jon Jones, Georges St Pierre, and other all-time greats. But now, a growing number of people believe his protégé, Islam Makhachev, has finally surpassed him.

One of those opinions came from UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett. While discussing the GOAT conversation, the Liverpudlian argued that Makhachev has already moved ahead of his mentor.

Pimblett revealed, “That’s always been my dream, to be talked about as one of the greats. And you can’t really do it unless you’re a two-weight champion like Islam [Makhachev] is. He’s higher on the GOAT discussion than Khabib now, because he is a two-weight champion,” ‘The Baddy’ told Applied Nutrition.

Of course, Makhachev’s story is still being written. He remains an active champion with dangerous contenders waiting ahead. But when it comes to achievements, his résumé already stacks up. Outside of being undefeated, Makhachev surpassed Khabib’s lightweight record by defending the belt four times. Moreover, he became a two-division champion, something ‘The Eagle’ never achieved. Because of that, many fans now believe the current 170 lbs champ could eventually go down as the greatest fighter of all time.

That said, the debate around Islam vs Khabib is far from settled. Who do you think would win if they fought right now? And after watching Khabib’s grappling against Glover Teixeira, do you think ‘The Eagle’ would still come out on top? Let us know in the comments section below.