Alexander Volkanovski understands the UFC resume debate on Khabib Nurmagomedov, but he still holds “The Eagle” in high regard.
Nurmagomedov retired as the UFC Lightweight Champion and walked away from MMA competition with a record of 29-0. While he defeated the likes of Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier, some find it hard to put him at the top of the all-time list due to the accomplishments others have reached since his retirement.
Regardless, Volkanovski took to his YouTube channel to acknowledge that he thinks Nurmagomedov could’ve reached new heights if he stuck around (via MMAJunkie).
“Khabib could have easily done it,” Volkanovski said. “You could just do it because of the fact that he was undefeated, but I don’t care about undefeated. I care about who you fought. The way he won was so dominant. Even though he doesn’t have as good a resume as some of the others.
“Even Charles (Oliveira) has got as many wins as him, but he’s got other losses. Khabib was clearly dominant in them fights, didn’t take much damage, and looked much better than his opponents. Even though I believe in resume heavily, he’s still right up there because of how he did it. I think Islam’s got him resume wise.”
Nurmagomedov said he made the decision to retire at the request of his mother. “The Eagle” also found it difficult to continue his MMA career after the passing of his father, Abdulmanap.
Despite retiring during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nurmagomedov remains an important figure in MMA today. He coaches several notable fighters who are close to him, such as Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov.
Where do you rank Khabib Nurmagomedov on your all-time great list? Does Nurmagomedov’s placement take a hit due to his early retirement? Share your stance on “The Eagle’s” position on the GOAT list below.