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Khabib withdraws from fights after suffocating Gaethje to retain title
Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from fights after needing less than five minutes to drown Justin Gaethje and retain his UFC lightweight title.
The champion was defending his belt for the third time and achieved a close first round in Abu Dhabi.
But once Nurmagomedov secured a takedown in the second round, he quickly blocked a triangle submission and his challenger tapped.
The 155-pound king fell to the canvas in tears as he remembered his late father before announcing he would resign.
“Thanks to these guys with me, with my father for more than 10 years,” he said. “I love coach Javier very much, my whole team. Thank you.
“Today I want to say that this is my last fight. There is no way I am coming here without my father. When the UFC told me about Justin, I spoke with my mother for three days. She didn’t want me to fight with my father. And I said this is my last fight and I have given him my word.
“There is only one thing I want from the UFC, to become the # 1 pound for pound fighter in the UFC, the best in the world. I think I deserve. I want to thank Dana, Fertita brothers.
“Thank you very much Justin. I know you’re great, I know how you take care of your people. Be close to your parents, because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. Thanks coach, thanks guys. Today is my last fight in the UFC.
“It was my father’s dream. Dustin [Poirier] and Conor [McGregor] I will fight in January, I have strangled them both, I am not interested in this.
Gaethje, who was Nurmagomedov’s 29th victim, added: “I felt alive. That’s why I’m in here … adrenaline, endorphin release. The only reason I stayed here was to praise this principal. He’s tough, he’s so strong, he’s made his father proud.
“I fight for a living. The best thing about drowning is that there is nothing really important to your long-term health. I’m ready for the next one whenever. I’m in good shape, I don’t want to go too far, so six weeks, eight weeks. [of recovery]. “
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