Is Khabib Nurmagomedov The Best Russian MMA Fighter In History?

Russia is a country that is closely associated with MMA, and there have been few athletes throughout history that have transcended the sport as much as Khabib Nurmagomedov. His success in the octagon with the UFC has seen him labeled as one of the greatest MMA fighters in history, and few would be able to argue with that stance given the record that he achieved. However, does he go down as the best Russian MMA fighter in history?

Khabib’s UFC Run

There were few more exciting sights in the history of MMA than Khabib’s run in the UFC between 2012 and 2020. He would come up against some of the biggest stars on the roster during that run and would claim dominant victories against all. He finally landed the first championship in UFC in April 2018, as he defeated Al Iaquinta by unanimous decision at UFC 223. Interestingly, that would be the final fight that he would be taking the distance in his professional career.

However, his biggest fight would come in his first title defense, as he took on long-standing rival Conor McGregor for the only time. There was clear animosity between the two biggest stars in the UFC, but it was Khabib that was standing tall after the war at UFC 229. The Russian claimed a dominant victory, as he finished McGregor by submission in the fourth round of their title fight in Las Vegas, and while a rematch was teased, it was never made official.

Later Defenses

After Khabib’s bout with McGregor in October 2018, it was heavily reported that a rematch between the pair was close. However, nothing materialized, and he was forced to move on from what would have been a mega-money bout. But, Khabib’s dominance showed no sign of stopping, as he successfully defended his lightweight championship at UFC 242, beating Dustin Poirier by submission in the third round of their bout in Abu Dhabi.

There were rumors circulating ahead of UFC 254 that Khabib’s showdown against Justin Gaethje would be his final professional bout in MMA, and he wasn’t about to let down his fans, as he delivered a final sensational performance in the octagon. The Russian was dominant throughout that bout in Abu Dhabi, and he landed victory in the second round by submission.

Records

Following his victory against Gaethje, Khabib announced his retirement from MMA and vacated the lightweight championship that he had held onto for two years. In doing so, he retired from the sport with a perfect professional record, having won all 29 fights that he was involved in. His most popular finish was by submission, with eleven of his victories being scored by that method. He also scored eight knockout finishes, and ten wins by decision.

Khabib set a number of records throughout his career, including being the longest-reigning lightweight champion in UFC history. He also set a UFC record for most takedowns in a single fight, as he floored Abel Trujilo on 21 occasions at UFC 160. The Russian also holds the record for the most standalone submission victories in the lightweight division and the most consecutive wins in the same division. His ability with submissions also saw him win the award for Submission of the Year in 2020. His legacy is also achieved following his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, as he was inducted in 2022.

Legacy

Khabib’s legacy inside the octagon is already assured following his induction into the Hall of Fame this year. However, he is set to be an inspiration for MMA stars from Russia for years to come. That is evident by the fact that he was only the second Russian UFC champion after Oleg Taktarov.

His legacy will also be an inspiration for Muslims around the world, as he was the first fighter from the religion to become a UFC champion. That is expected to be a sign of things to come over future years, as Khabib has likely inspired a whole new generation of Muslim fighters from across the planet, and all will dream of one day becoming a UFC champion.

Conclusion

In truth, it is hard to argue against the belief that Khabib is the most talented Russian MMA fighter in the history of the sport. Taktarov paved the way for Russians in the UFC, but Khabib broke down any doors that remained closed. His dominant run throughout his career means that a path is now there for future Russian-born champions.