SUMMARY
- Khabib Nurmagomedov's sparring footage with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will make you wish the Eagle was still fighting.
- Did Islam Makhachev ever beat Khabib Nurmagomedov in training?
It has been more than 3 years since Khabib Nurmagomedov last fought inside the UFC octagon. With a MMA record of 29 wins and 0 losses, The Eagle is still regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
Over the past few years, many UFC champions, including Conor McGregor and Charles Oliveira, have wished to share the octagon with the unbeaten lightweight phenom.
Moreover, the current featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, has also shown interest in moving up a division to face the greatest UFC lightweight of all time in a superfight for the ages. However, Khabib Nurmagomedov has not shown any interest in getting back into the octagon since his retirement.
But that does not mean Khabib Nurmagomedov cannot come back and dominate the current UFC champions like he once did in his prime.
Khabib Nurmagomedov- Islam Makhachev training video will give you chills
Recently, light-sparing footage of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev had UFC fans’ heartbeats racing. Makhahchev is undoubtedly the most dominant grappler in the UFC right now.
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However, he is still not good enough to dominate The Eagle and this sparring footage proves so. Fans showered support for Khabib Nurmagomedov in the comments as he trained with the current lightweight champion.
Has Islam Makhachev ever beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov in sparring?
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev trained at AKA for years before becoming two of the biggest UFC stars from Dagestan. It’s needless to say they must have sparred each other for hundreds or even thousands of rounds in their MMA career. However, who had the upper hand during the sparring sessions?
Well, it was never easy to beat Khabib, even in sparring. However, Islam Makhachev was the only fighter who beat Khabib Nurmagomedov in training and even won rounds against him.
AKA’s head coach, Javier Mendez, revealed sparring stories of Khabib and Islam, as he stated:
“When Islam first started training, he was the only person that actually gave Khabib any trouble sparring. No one else would give Khabib any trouble sparring. He was the only one that would actually win rounds against Khabib. No one else could ever do that.”
Who should Khabib Nurmagomedov fight if he ever decides to return?
Khabib Nurmagomedov making a UFC return is highly unlikely. However, if the Eagle changes his mind, then it has to be for a fight that will cement his legacy as the greatest UFC fighter of all time.
At the moment, a fight with GSP seems very unlikely. But a potential title fight against Leon Edwards can be a fight that will further solidify his position in the GOAT debate. The Conor McGregor rematch is always on the table for The Eagle. However, considering the rivalry between the two and the outcome of the first fight, fans may never see those two share the octagon again.