TLDR
- Khabib Nurmagomedov claims UFC fans never saw him at his true peak during his 29-0 career
- The retired champion came closest to his limit during his final fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254
- Khabib’s father passed away before his final fight, making it difficult to prepare mentally
- He suffered multiple injuries during training camp and was not in his best physical shape
- Khabib now coaches Islam Makhachev, who has won UFC titles at lightweight and welterweight
Sources: bjpenn.com | middleeasy.com
Khabib Nurmagomedov says UFC fans never witnessed him at his true peak during his undefeated career. The retired lightweight champion made the admission during a recent interview with Lex Fridman.
Nurmagomedov retired in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record as the UFC lightweight champion. Despite being considered one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, he believes he never reached his full potential inside the octagon.
“No, you’ve never seen my limit in fights,” Nurmagomedov said during the interview. He explained that various factors prevented him from showing his true capabilities throughout his career.
The Difficult Final Fight
Nurmagomedov pointed to his final fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 as the closest he came to his limit. However, the fight was shadowed by the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
“First and foremost, it was because I had lost my father,” Nurmagomedov explained. “It was hard to pull myself together.”
Relive Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor full UFC fight and total ass whooping in the most heated rivalry to date pic.twitter.com/s6PRPrRJyM
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The Dagestani fighter said everything happened at once during that difficult period. Training without his father, who was his primary motivation, created mental challenges he had never faced before.
“The person I was doing this for, the person I wanted to become champion for,” Nurmagomedov said about his father. “First and foremost, to prove to him that I could become the best.”
Physical problems also plagued his final training camp. Nurmagomedov revealed he dealt with multiple injuries leading up to the Gaethje fight.
“Injury after injury after injury,” he said about his preparation. Despite the physical setbacks, he maintained sharp mental focus.
Nurmagomedov still managed to submit Gaethje in the second round at UFC 254. He announced his retirement immediately after the victory, citing his promise to his mother.
Life After Fighting
The debate about Nurmagomedov’s place in the greatest of all time conversation continues among MMA fans. Some argue he retired too early to claim the top spot on the all-time list.
Others, including UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, believe his dominance over elite competition is enough. Nurmagomedov never lost a round against many opponents and made championship-level fighters look helpless.
Nurmagomedov now focuses on coaching and finds fulfillment in helping other fighters. He admitted coaching brings a different kind of stress compared to competing himself.
His protégé Islam Makhachev has followed in his footsteps by capturing UFC gold. Makhachev currently holds championship titles at both lightweight and welterweight, breaking Anderson Silva’s record for consecutive UFC wins at UFC 330.
Makhachev’s success has sparked his own conversations about being among the greatest fighters ever. He has built his own legacy while training under Nurmagomedov’s guidance.
Nurmagomedov retired as the UFC lightweight champion at age 32. His career included dominant victories over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje in his final three fights.
