UFC 254: Dana White, UFC Fighters Rave About Khabib Nurmagomedov Following Surprising Retirement

John Newby

10/24/2020 06:37 pm EDT

Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Justin Gaethje during the main event of UFC 254 on Saturday, defending his lightweight title and remaining undefeated in MMA. He then immediately stunned viewers by revealing that the fight would be his last in the UFC following his father's death in July. "This was my last fight," Nurmagomedov said. "There's no way I'm going to come here without my father. ... After what happened with my father — when UFC called me about Justin — I talked with my mother [for] three days, 'should I go fight without my father?' I promised her it was gonna be my last fight. And if I give my word, I have to follow it."

"Wow. Wow, man," UFC President Dana White said after Nurmagomedov announced his retirement. "He is the baddest motherf—er on the planet." White was not the only person expressing this opinion on Saturday. A multitude of UFC fighters and fans alike expressed similar sentiments. They proclaimed that the undefeated Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest fighters in the sport's history and that he has an incredible legacy.

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Nurmagomedov put a lot of emotion on display on Saturday after defeating Gaethje. He broke down in tears in the middle of the octagon and then gave his emotional retirement speech. The news stunned viewers at home, but they took time to praise the undefeated fighter for putting his heart and emotions on display during UFC 254.

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There were thousands of Twitter users chiming in after UFC 254 to make proclamations about Nurmagomedov and his career. The majority expressed the opinion that he is one of the greatest fighters of all time. They cited his undefeated record, as well as the way he finished fights.

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Nurmagomedov was not the only person putting emotions on display on Saturday. The fans on Twitter also did something similar. Many talked about how they were legitimately crying after watching the fighter's speech. They expressed sadness about him walking away from the octagon and the UFC, but they also said that they completely understand why he would choose to do so after his father passed away in July.

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Nurmagomedov ends his career with a 29-0 MMA record and three title defenses. In the opinions of many Twitter users and fighters alike, this stat line makes him the sport's GOAT. They continued to frequently express this opinion after he announced his retirement and said that there is no one that can match this record.

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There were a few fans in the minority that chose to criticize Nurmagomedov on Saturday, saying that he is "afraid of a rematch" with Conor McGregor. The majority, however, made their support very clear. They proclaimed that he is one of the greatest fighters ever and they expressed appreciation for his decision to walk away instead of competing without his father.

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There are some fighters in UFC history that have struggled with issues outside of the octagon. Some were arrested multiple times while others struggled with illegal substances. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, has continued to draw praise for how he handles himself. The fans continued to express this opinion on Saturday after he announced his retirement.

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Is Nurmagomedov truly walking away from the octagon for good? Many fans don't know for certain, but they said that they believe him. The fans know that McGregor has retired three separate times and is about to return once again, but they don't expect this to happen with Nurmagomedov.

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