The world of mixed martial arts has two prominent families that sit atop the mountain of the fight Gods. One is the Gracies, who arguably birthed modern MMA through the UFC, showcasing their brand of Jiu-Jitsu that was kept a family secret for close to a century. The other is the Nurmagomedovs; their brand of combat sambo, wrestling, and submission grappling forged a new meta in the sport starting in the 2010s—the effects of which are still felt today. Atop the mountain is Khabib Nurmagomedov, leading the way, drawing from the teachings of his late father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Having trained in wrestling from the age of eight, and absorbing Judo and Sambo along the way at the hands of his father—who was an ex-military man and an accomplished martial artist himself—Khabib Nurmagomedov forged one of the greatest legacies in mixed martial arts, retiring undefeated from the sport with 29 wins to his name. Although his retirement left a lot of what-ifs, and questions about his legacy, there’s no denying the impact of his presence in the sport. So we’re wondering then; would he still be a champion if he were active today? That’s an interesting thought, and an idea worth exploring.

Would Khabib Still Be UFC Champion?

‘The Eagle’, in all his fights (except for the one against Gleison Tibau), showcased a level of dominance never before seen in the sport. While his striking improved over time, it was his wrestling that caught the imagination of fight fans, as they watched him take his opponents to deep waters and “reveal who they are to themselves” (in other words, “drown them”). His performances were nothing short of a spectacle, and fans watched him dismantle opponent after opponent, almost winning every single round in all the UFC bouts he competed in.

So, would that dominance have continued if he were still an active fighter today? It’s likely, but we wouldn’t bet on it, considering his age. Nurmagomedov is now 36 years old and would have likely encountered some problems against the top contenders in the division. The thing is, ‘The Eagle’ would have evolved with the sport, and it could have likely been possible for us to eventually see Khabib rack up more victories through KOs or TKOs. Towards the end of his career, Nurmagomedov mixed up his striking and wrestling so well, to the point that his opponents did not know how to deal with the arsenal of weapons he honed over time.

Charles Oliveira had captured the UFC vacant lightweight title after ‘The Eagle left the UFC’. After a brief reign, Khabib’s training partner and childhood friend Islam Makhachev won the strap in 2022. 

Longevity in a sport like mixed martial arts doesn’t come with winning guarantees. There is a time for everyone to face that loss in their careers (unless you’re Jon Jones, of course—a whole different conversation BTW). The Eagle holds the record for the longest UFC lightweight title reign at 1,077 days. Would that reign have continued? In short, we’re asking… Would Khabib Nurmagomedov be undefeated if he were still active?

Would Khabib Still Be Undefeated?

Most likely, he would still be undefeated. However, his toughest tests would have come from some fighters in arguably the UFC’s toughest weight class. So, we’ve compiled a list of fighters who would have given the most amount of trouble to ‘The Eagle’. Firstly we have to include Islam Makhachev—his longtime friend, teammate, protégé, and now champion. In a parallel universe, a bout between them would be electrifying. Naturally, his style is similar to Khabib’s. But since he has incorporated striking in his arsenal along with the Dagestani style grappling, he would give Khabib trouble on the feet. However, they likely wouldn’t fight.

Secondly, Charles Oliveira could also pose a threat because he is an elite submission artist with dangerous striking. ‘Do bronx’ could have presented problems for ‘The Eagle’ if he managed to keep the fight standing or attacked submissions in transitions. However, Oliveira struggles against strong wrestlers, so Khabib would still be the favorite.

Then there’s Justin Gaethje. If ‘The Highlight’ had improved his anti-wrestling skills and striking patience, he could have had a better shot in a rematch. However, Khabib already dominated him before retiring, and their levels looked leagues apart at UFC 254.

Last but not least we have Arman Tsarukyan. The Armenian is one of the best young wrestlers in the division who is now a threat to Dagestani fighters along with Georgian champions Merab Dvalishvili and Ilia Topuria. ‘Akhalkalakets’ could have tested Khabib’s cardio and chain wrestling. However, he lacks the elite submission game to threaten Khabib on the ground.

Overall, the only fighters who could have realistically challenged him were Oliveira or a more evolved Gaethje. And if you compare Nurmagomedov and Makhachev’s grappling, ‘The Eagle’ has had more success taking his opponents down than his protegé. So, it’s very likely that none of the names on that list, barring Makhachev, of course, could have held a candle to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s grappling onslaught. And what would his legacy look like if were still champion and undefeated?

What Would His Legacy Look Like?

If Khabib had stayed active, his dominance would likely have increased tenfold and his legacy would have looked greater. How? He would definitely have defended his lightweight title at least 4 to 5 times.  He retired with 3 defenses against Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, and Justin Gaethje. If he had stayed active, his potential defenses could have included top fighters like Charlies Oliveira, Michael Chandler, Poirier, Beneil Dariush, and Tsarukyan.

Apart from that ‘The Eagle’ would also probably try to move to welterweight. If he continued dominating at lightweight, he might have tested himself at 170 lbs, because let’s face it, Nurmagomedov is up for the challenge (or did, back in the day). At 170 lbs, his possible matchups might have been against Kamaru Usman which would definitely be a prime vs prime affair. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is excellent at wrestling and this would have been a true slugfest.

Then there would have also been Colby Covington who is known for his excellent cardio and wrestling. However, Khabib would have probably won against him as well, since he is the overall better grappler among the two. Last but not least, Leon Edwards could also be a possible opponent since he is a dangerous striker. Nevertheless, Khabib’s pressure would most likely crush Edwards.

After all these achievements, the cherry on top would be Khabib surpassing Jon Jones as the GOAT if he would have ended up with an undefeated record of 33-0 or 34-0. If Khabib had beaten Oliveira and Chandler, and maybe moved up to fight Usman, his status as the greatest MMA fighter ever would be nigh undeniable. So what do you think? Should Khabib come back? Share your thoughts in the comments below.