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Khabib Nurmagomedov choked out Justin Gaethje in the second-round at UFC 254 to unify the Lightweight Championship and secure his status as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter. Eight years into his incredible UFC career, he called it quits after taking off his gloves.
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Here's a breakdown of what happened:
Round 1: Justin Gaethje started with a leg kick. There was a feeling-out process at first. He got a good inside leg kick, and Justin Gaethje landed a counter shot. Justin Gaethje followed up with another leg kick, and the pace of pressure of Khabib Nurmagomedov started to show. Gaethje evaded the first takedown attempt and landed a right to the head. The Champion began to continue the pressure on the feet, including a knee to the head. Khabib Nurmagomedov started finding success on the feet, but he ate a left while walking forward. The Champion shot the double leg and got the first takedown, and got right into the position he wanted to be. He started to go for the armbar and the round ended before he could proceed further.
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Round 2: The second round started with Justin Gaethje moving backward. The first leg kick of the round for Gaethje had a clear effect, and it was only a matter of time before the Champion landed the takedown and got Justin Gaethje in a position to secure the triangle. Shortly into the second round, it was a submission victory for the Lightweight Champion.
After the fight, Khabib Nurmagomedov went to the center of the Octagon and let out all his emotions, paying tribute to his late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
The end of Khabib Nurmagomedov's reign
After cementing his pound-for-pound #1 status, Khabib Nurmagomedov will call it quits in the UFC. He said that he wouldn't walk to the Octagon without his father, and he seems to be done for good.
In the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov cemented himself as the greatest of all time, with his last three wins coming over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. All three fights ended in emphatic, dominant submissions.
There will never be another Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC.
