“It was here” Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals beating Conor McGregor to be the standout moment of his Hall of Fame career
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Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov has finally ridden off into the sunset as he gets inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. However in the same arena as the ceremony, Khabib had one of his most iconic battles against Conor McGregor and the Dagestani was sure not to forget that.
On the way to the ceremony, Nurmagomedov stopped at the red carpet to answer some questions, these ranged from him expressing a desire to fight Michael Jordan to him advocating for his friend and teammate, Cain Velasquez to be taken out of jail and into the UFC Hall of Fame.
During this media interaction, Khabib would also reveal that until a few years ago he had no idea about the Hall of Fame and wasn’t very eager to enter it. “Like couple years ago I didn’t even know being in the Hall of Fame was a big deal” said the former lightweight supremo.
Related: Watch: Conor McGregor details his infamous UFC 229 Post-Fight Brawl against Khabib Nurmagomedov’s family
Khabib Nurmagomedov says he couldn’t afford to lose against Conor McGregor
In this interview, one media person would ask Khabib about a moment or a fight that stands out from the rest of his career in his eyes. Nurmagomedov would ask the reporter to clarify asking, “like happy?” after which he would reminisce about his battle at the T-Mobile Arena back in 2018. He said, “It was here, in this arena, October 6th 2018, Biggest Fight in MMA history”
Khabib would go on to describe his submission victory over Conor as the highlight of his career. He said, “I can lose any other fight in my (UFC) career, but no way this fight” reminding everyone of the high stakes that night in Las Vegas carried.
To jog your memory, the fight Khabib mentions was not a huge deal based on the names involved alone but the story that led up to. After a brutal build up that had trash talk from Conor insulting religion, family, and friends, and even a possible felony, it was cathartic to Khabib when the two finally faced off.
While McGregor would put up a more admirable effort than most against Khabib, he was finished regardless, by a fourth-round neck crank. It could have been the end of it but the night gained it’s infamy for what happen after the fight, as Nurmagomedov leaped out of the cage and jumped straight into McGregor’s corner to attack his teammate Dillon Dannis.
Though in the immediate aftermath, Khabib would be fined and suspended for his actions, the act itself pushed him to global fame as a fierce defender of his value and would make him the global superstar he is today
Also Read: “My father sell his house” – Khabib Nurmagomedov credits his father’s sacrifices for his hall of fame induction
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)