"It's the most difficult thing to do" - Coach Eugene Bareman explains why Khabib Nurmagomedov is his MMA GOAT 

Khabib Nurmagomedov has just been singled out by City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman as his pick for the greatest fighter of all time. The UFC Hall of Famer was showered with praise by the New Zealander, highlighting not just the Dagestani phenom's unprecedented dominance but his defensive abilities.

According to Bareman, being able to minimize the damage one absorbs while simultaneously maximizing the amount of damage one is able to deal to their foes are two of the most important attributes he looks for in fighters. He believes no one had those attributes at as high a level as Nurmagomedov.

Bareman's comments stem from a Jan. 23 interview on the She Loves The Gloves blog series on Medium, where he also praised Nurmagomedov for retiring at the top of the sport.

"He could go into the ring and come out of it relatively unscathed. In addition to this, he's one of the few athletes who managed to leave the sport on top. From all my years of being involved in martial arts, I know that it is the most difficult thing to do."

'The Eagle' was certainly an anomaly. While other undefeated fighters have claimed fame (and some infamy), the former UFC lightweight champion was not merely unbeaten; he never lost more than two rounds in 29 bouts, with those rounds being extremely competitive.

Furthermore, he has never suffered a knockdown or even bled inside the octagon, or sported a swollen eye. The most danger he has ever been in was a desperate guillotine choke from Dustin Poirier, which was immediately followed by Nurmagomedov tapping him out with a rear-naked choke.

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Who did Khabib Nurmagomedov defend his lightweight title against?

Many fans were left dissatisfied with how early Khabib Nurmagomedov walked away from the sport. However, he retired with the all-time title defense record in the UFC lightweight division. He first defended his 155-pound strap against Conor McGregor in UFC history's most lucrative grudge match.

He submitted McGregor in round four with a neck crank before subsequently defending it against Dustin Poirier, who he also bested via submission. This time, however, it was with a rear-naked choke in round three. His final title defense was against Justin Gaethje, who he submitted with a triangle choke in round two.