Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi believes Khabib Nurmagomedov would nonetheless beat the UFC’s main lightweights, even in an excessive two-fight situation in opposition to Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria on the identical night time. The Tristar Health club head coach, finest identified for guiding Georges St-Pierre, mentioned he would choose the retired former champion over each males in separate five-round bouts.
“I believe Khabib is forward for this time. It’s not that he was simply nice in our time – I believe he’d nonetheless beat everyone at this time,” Zahabi mentioned. “He’d beat Gaethje proper now. He’d beat Topuria. If it have been Khabib vs. Topuria in a five-round combat, after which Khabib vs. Gaethje in one other five-round combat on the identical night time, I’d nonetheless decide Khabib to win each.”
Former UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov Favored Over Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria
The declare lands shortly after Gaethje gained the undisputed UFC light-weight championship at UFC Freedom 250 on the White Home South Garden. The 37-year-old stopped Topuria after 4 rounds, with Topuria’s nook ending the combat earlier than spherical 5. The end result handed Topuria the primary lack of his skilled profession and gave Gaethje an undisputed UFC title at his third try.
Zahabi’s view attracts on Nurmagomedov’s document in opposition to Gaethje. At UFC 254 in October 2020, Nurmagomedov submitted Gaethje with a triangle choke at 1:34 of the second spherical, unified the light-weight belts, and introduced his retirement after the competition. He completed his MMA profession at 29-0 and went 13-0 within the UFC.
Nurmagomedov had already produced defining championship wins over Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. He submitted McGregor within the fourth spherical of their UFC 229 title combat in October 2018, then submitted Poirier in spherical three at UFC 242 the next 12 months. The Gaethje win was one other profitable title protection, following the McGregor and Poirier bouts.
The matchup with Topuria is hypothetical, but it presents a special query from a rematch with Gaethje. Topuria confirmed he might take early rounds in opposition to Gaethje at Freedom 250, however he was harm repeatedly because the combat moved on and didn’t reply the bell for the ultimate spherical. Gaethje turned the competition with sustained strain and damaging strikes after getting into because the underdog.
Nurmagomedov has remained concerned with fighters from Dagestan since retiring. Islam Makhachev, his longtime pal and coaching partner, grew to become UFC welterweight champion after beforehand holding the light-weight belt, and Nurmagomedov continues to characteristic in his preparation.
Two championship-length fights on one night time would check any athlete. Nonetheless, Zahabi’s level is evident. He charges Nurmagomedov’s wrestling management, clinch work, strain, and submission menace extremely sufficient to favor him over the champion and former division king Topuria.
