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Khabib Nurmagomedov maintained his undefeated record at UFC 254.
Undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts after stopping Justin Gaethje with a triangle choke early in the second round at UFC 254 on Sunday (New Zealand time).
Nurmagomedov (29-0) made the announcement on the heels of impressively ending his first fight since the death of his father and longtime coach in July. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov had a heart problem exacerbated by Covid-19, and his son was overtaken by tears in the cage moments after choking an unconscious Gaethje 1:34 in the second round of his third UFC title defense.
“ This is my last fight, ” Nurmagomedov said. “ There is no way I’m going back without my father. I spoke to my mother. She doesn’t know how I fight without my father, but I promised her it would be my last fight, and if I give my word, I have to follow her. ”
Nurmagomedov, 32, was active with strikes and battling Gaethje (22-3), the dangerous fighter who had knocked out four elite opponents in a row while winning the UFC interim lightweight title.
After spending the first round largely trading punches and kicks with the aggressive Gaethje, Nurmagomedov used his unmatched fighting skills to defeat Gaethje early in the second round and then worked into position for the final choke.
Gaethje appeared to tap at least twice before the referee noticed and stopped the fight, at which point Gaethje was unconscious. He made a quick recovery and shared a moment of mutual respect with the dominant Russian champion.
“I know he was in a bad situation, but whether or not he was, he did what he had to do,” Gaethje said. “I know your father is very proud.”
Mahmoud Khaled / AP
FILE – In this Sept. 7, 2019, file photo, Russia’s Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, fights Dustin Poirier of Lafayette, Louisiana, during a mixed martial arts fight for the lightweight title at UFC 242 at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Nurmagomedov will risk his undefeated record and UFC lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 24, 2020 (AP Photo / Mahmoud Khaled, File)
Nurmagomedov’s first fight in 13 months would be a fitting sendoff for one of the most dynamic competitors in recent MMA history. The Dagestan-born grappling specialist developed a full game under the tutelage of his father and a Bay Area-based MMA gym, culminating in his promotion to the UFC title in 2018.
Nurmagomedov stopped Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier in their next two bouts before their one-year absence from the competition. His victory over McGregor made him one of the most famous combat sports athletes in the world, and the UFC scheduled this pay-per-view program earlier than normal to cater to its broad fan base in Russia and Europe.
But Nurmagomedov has spoken before retirement, and his announcement confirmed that he is done with the sport after making it through most of the UFC’s lightweight division.
“Dustin and Conor are going to fight in January,” Nurmagomedov said, referring to the likely meeting between the former contenders at UFC 257. “I drowned them both. I’m not interested in this.
