Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated last weekend after winning his 29th consecutive mixed martial arts bout and retaining the Ultimate F...
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated last weekend after winning his 29th consecutive mixed martial arts bout and retaining the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title. Khabib, widely known by his first name, lost just two rounds on judges’ scorecards in his entire career, and was never knocked down, seriously hurt, cut or marked. The ease of his victories sets him apart from rivals in the debate regarding the best MMA fighter of all time.
The build-up to his final fight, however, had the makings of an upset. He looked out of sorts in obligatory interviews, at the weigh-in, and during the walk to the octagon. It seemed like he was carrying an invisible weight upon his shoulders. The cause of his changed demeanour was no secret: his father Abdulmanap, who had coached and groomed him for glory since he was a child, died of Covid-19 in July. But there were other issues that his head coach Javier Mendez revealed only after the bout. Khabib had come down with mumps in September and broken a toe soon after returning to training. Those who have had to walk with an injured toe will have some idea of how painful it would be to spar and fight...
