Years after his retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov is still one of the most popular individuals in combat sports. Nurmagomedov was unstoppable in his prime days in the UFC and dominated everyone who came in front of him. However, a long time has passed since then, and the Dagestani is now adapting to the fact that he’s getting older.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently busy in his new role as the coach for his teammates. The Hall of Famer has coached the likes of Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov to reach UFC success. At the same time, Nurmagomedov likes to stay in shape and trains regularly. Recently, the former lightweight champion shared a picture of him getting a black eye after training and asked a hilarious question.
Does it mean that I’m getting older?
Khabib Nurmagomedov via Instagram
Fans rarely saw Khabib Nurmagomedov with a cut or bruise on his face. The Dagestani fighter never bled during his long and undefeated professional career. In a sport where fighters sacrifice blood to attain success, Nurmagomedov’s record of not bleeding is unprecedented.
Nurmagomedov is currently 35 years old and weighs much more than he used to be during his fighting days. Champion Belal Muhammad recently admitted that he got dominated by Nurmagomedov in training. He believes the ‘Eagle’ has the same skill set. Nurmagomedov retired in his prime, and many believed that it was unfortunate for the world of combat sports.
How much did Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement affect UFC?
The UFC missed out on a lot of matchups after Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s retirement. It left a gap in the lightweight category. A super fight between the Dagestani fighter and prime Charles Oliveira remains an exciting prospect. Rematches with Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje also remain exciting. The retirement caused the division to be reorganized.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (via Imago)With his dominant fighting style, Khabib Nurmagomedov was expected to have much more title defenses. According to Dana White, Nurmagomedov’s retirement was hard for him. The CEO believed the Dagestani fighter didn’t reach his full potential.
The toughest retirement for me? Khabib was tough retirement. Usually, when it’s time for them to retire, I’m happy for them. It’s over, you have accomplished everything that you possibly can. Cause I think Khabib had so much more to offer and so much more to accomplish.
Dana White via Theo Von’s Podcast
However, White also understood the reason behind Nurmagomedov’s decision to retire and mentioned that the Dagestani had made enough money. Now, Nurmagomedov’s childhood friend, Islam Makhachev, has taken his position in the UFC and is continuing the Dagestani domination in the promotion.
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