Watch UFC P4P great Khabib Nurmagomedov burst into tears after losing only ever fight as a 17-year-old
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV retired with an unbeaten MMA record – but only after experiencing how to overcome defeat.
Before Nurmagomedov transitioned into MMA in 2008, he was a feared judo and sambo champion.
He later won gold at the 2009 and 2010 World Championships in sambo, coached by his influential late father Abdulmanap.
But in 2003, when Khabib was just 17-year’s-old, he succumbed to defeat against Magomed Ibragimov.
He was representing Dagestan while Ibragimov competed for Chechnya.
The match was not without its tension and featured kicks and punches but Nurmagomedov was beaten.
It proved too much for the future pound-for-pound great to handle as he slumped to the floor in tears.
But Ibragimov showed his sportsmanship and consoled beaten Khabib as the two embraced.
It proved the last and possibly only time Nurmagomedov tasted defeat, later going on to win the UFC title in 2018.
He still holds that crown today, thanks to wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
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But after the death of his dad in July, Khabib went on to announce his shock retirement in October after beating Gaethje.
He had always maintained his father wanted him to hang up the gloves with a 30-0 MMA record.
With the 32-year-old one win away from doing so, UFC president Dana White met with Nurmagomedov in January on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
White went on to reveal the lightweight king would only return if a contender convinced him to do so.
McGregor, 32, was later knocked out by Poirier, also 32, which appeared to confirm Nurmagomedov would remain retired.
White said: “I did talk to Khabib. He said to me ‘Dana be honest with yourself, I’m so many levels above these guys, I’d beat these guys’.
“It doesn’t sound very positive so we’ll see. I’ve told you guys before he won’t hold the division up. He’s basically retired.”