Opinion: Khabib Nurmagomedov Is the Best All-Round MMA Star of the Modern Era

The debate regarding the greatest MMA fighter of all time will never come to a conclusion. However, it may not be appropriate to compare fighters of the previous generation to the fighters of today. This is due to how the rules of the sport have drastically changed over the years. But when it comes to modern times, there may not be much doubt if one were to anoint Khabib Nurmagomedov as the most well-rounded fighter the sport has ever seen.

Khabib Nurmagomedov took the world of MMA by storm with his rise to stardom. Moreover, it won’t be easy for anyone to replicate the accolades and achievements ‘The Eagle’ accomplished over the course of his illustrious career. Let us take a look at a few reasons why the legend of Dagestan can be called the modern G.O.A.T.

Khabib Nurmagomedov has only lost two rounds in his entire MMA career

‘The Eagle’ competed in 13 fights in the UFC. Throughout those 13 fights, Khabib Nurmagomedov has only lost two rounds since his debut in 2012 against Kamal Shalorus. The two rounds that he lost were against two of the most popular and accomplished fighters that the sport of MMA has ever seen.

The first time Nurmagomedov lost a round was against Conor McGregor at UFC 229. ‘The Notorious’ is arguably the biggest superstar in MMA history. He’s been able to sell out arena after arena throughout his stint in the UFC. However, his biggest fight on the UFC’s biggest ever PPV, was against the indomitable Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Many people have dubbed their UFC 229 fight as the biggest grudge match in UFC and MMA history. As the fight started off, it was evident that things were heated between the two. The fight went to the fourth round, in which Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor with a neck crank. In the end, the judges scored most of the rounds in favor of the Dagestan native, but gave the third round to ‘The Notorious’.

The second time Khabib Nurmagomedov lost a round was against the current BMF champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. Incidentally, he was also Nurmagomedov’s final opponent in his career. ‘The Eagle’, yet again, proved his dominance and submitted Gaethje in the second round of their fight. However, the judges scored the first round in favor of ‘The Highlight’ due to his leg kicks and strikes. Let’s take a look at yet another reason to suffice Nurmagomedov’s G.O.A.T. status.

‘The Eagle’ never got injured or hurt during any of his UFC fights

MMA isn’t called one of the most intense combat sports for nothing. In almost every fight, either of the two combatants is bound to get hurt, either through cuts and bruises or from suffering an injury. However, that was not the case for Khabib Nurmagomedov. He was almost untouchable, to say the least. Over the 29 fights in his career, ‘The Egale’ never suffered any visible injury to his face or body.

Furthermore, Khabib Nurmagomedov never got hit so much that he’d start bleeding. In addition to that, he also never suffered any bruises or marks on his face. The only sign of injury he showed was a cauliflower ear due to the intense wrestling exchanges during fights. This is not the same for some of the other fighters, including Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, or Georges St-Pierre, whom many consider to be great fighters as well. This achievement is a testament to how dominant Nurmagomedov was inside the Octagon. Now, let us take a look at the final reason why ‘The Eagle’ is the most well-rounded fighter of the modern era.

Khabib Nurmagomedov retired as an undefeated champion with 29 wins

This is perhaps the biggest reason why the legend from Dagestan is arguably the greatest modern fighter ever. Khabib Nurmagomedov never lost. He was always on top of his game and on top of his opponents. Meanwhile, there are fighters who went on incredibly undefeated runs like the legendary Fedor Emelianenko, who remained unbeaten in 28 fights from early 2001 to early 2010. However, he did suffer a few losses in his career. This is not the case for Nurmagomedov.

Every fighter dreams of retiring with an undefeated record. However, not many people achieve that feat. MMA is an unforgiving sport and only the strongest-willed and highest-skilled people, like Khabib Nurmagomedov, have been able to accomplish that. Losing a fight was never an option for the Dagestan native.

There were many fighters who wanted to retire undefeated, including Ronda Rousey. However, she suffered one of the biggest upset losses to Holly Holm, which put that dream to bed. Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dominant performances always made sure that he came out on top to keep his perfect record intact. Similar to Floyd Mayweather, he retired undefeated after successfully defending the UFC lightweight title for a third time.

The only doubt ever cast on him was over his close fight against Gleison Tibau at UFC 148 in 2012. It was only Nurmagomedov’s second UFC bout at just 23 years of age. ‘The Eagle’ was the superior man that night with a unanimous decision win (30-27 from all three judges) despite many calling foul. To the Russian’s credit, Tibau would become the second UFC athlete to receive a suspension under the USADA program four years later. This also brings to attention how Nurmagomedov maintained the image of a clean athlete, avoiding controversies inside and outside the sport.

Read More: Shots Fired at Khabib Nurmagomedov as Jon Jones Cemented as UFC GOAT Over Massive Accomplishment Over 12 Years

Many people wonder how much more Khabib Nurmagomedov would have achieved if he had not retired due to his father sadly passing away. Nevertheless, he left a lasting impression among the fans and many MMA personalities with his flawless performances inside the Octagon, rightfully earning his place in the Hall of Fame. It remains to be seen if we will ever witness such a fighter in the sport again.

Watch This Story: Dana White adds new fight to UFC 296