https://youtube.com/watch?v=kGzptj9-LUM
In celebration of the UFC’s 30th anniversary, Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Din Thomas break down the Ultimate 30 All-Time …
so the UFC lightweight title has certainly been held by some iconic figures over the years but perhaps none more wide reaching nor consequential as our next selection a man who descended from the mountains of dagistan to conquer the 155 pound Division and the sport before he even stepped into the Octagon khabib Nago medov had achieved Mythic status among hardcore followers of mixed martial arts the child who famously wrestled with bears in the mountains of dagistan eventually grew up to develop a skill set that would Place him among the all-time greats and would change the sport forever a noro manov wow noraga manov really dropping bombs down with those elbows upon arrival to the UFC khabib introduced a Relentless style rooted in combat the result was a level of dominance never seen before in the lightweight division what a display of dominance by khabib nurmagamedov he is a monster nurmagomedov’s ability to OS his will on all who faced him was clear and present and it took him all the way to a UFC title massive right from n he’s got it it’s under the neck there’s the still Undisputed all opponents were acutely aware of the dangers he posed none were able to resist he’s able to manipulate positions like no one can really do khabib controls guys in a way that I’ve never seen before that’s it the Chim the top K absolutely incredible the way he dominates people never seen anything like it khabib’s impact transcends mere accolades he became an emblem of perseverance and humility embodying the warrior spirit that runs deep in his [Applause] homeland the eagle inspired a generation uniting people across continents his devout faith and commitment to his roots endeared him to Millions finishing his career with an unblemished record of 29 and0 khabib was welcomed into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022 a legend forever entrenched in the hearts and minds of fight fans worldwide well he is as Elite and special a human being as he is a mixed martial arts athlete but he will go down as one of the best fighters of all time certainly a no-brainer here to the all-time roster the 29-0 khabib n go met up your dear friend taking his spot here in the ultimate thir unanimous was Habib one of the unanimous one of the unanimous four I would think he would have to yeah he would have to be right and he should be you know when you think about H Nega met off you think about a guy that was just dominant and from the moment he stepped foot into the American kickboxing academy we knew he was different he didn’t speak English he didn’t have money he didn’t have anything he was just a kid that was a sponge and he wanted to learn he wanted to learn he wanted to get better and he idolized the guys he came at a time where we were riding hot and King Mo Mohammad thewall was the one that introduced and brought Habib over and once he got there it changed everything very rarely does one athlete come in later and change the culture of a gym khabib neov did that and to watch him go from that kid the little Russian kid that came by himself to having an Entourage to becoming a star as he has truly truly inspiring for me the guy Lov D John just being in the UFC and he ultimately became one of the best to ever do it so I love the guy and I’m proud of him that’s my brother and I’m happy that he’s on this list where he deserves to be well he’s so gracious and has been just as gracious in retirement so much so that in the middle of the night in mahash kala we are now joined by the former UFC lightweight champion the UFC Hall of Famer khabib Nago medov congrats champ it’s great to see your face we’re all absolutely privileged to talk to you today but uh another Accolade here as we welcome you to the alltime roster congratulations thank you guys what’s up guys how are you how was everything Habib when you came to AKA how big was that move for you and how quickly did you kind of weave into the culture of AK and do you feel like that was the ideal program for you to become who you became coupled with what you do home in dagistan like you know it was before I came to AKA it was like I was I I I was following this team like it was John F Josh kosek Josh Thomson was train there Ken Velasquez yourself but you was like a little bit like you just you just become MMA fighter at that time but I was very big fan of these guys Habib you spoke about not knowing anyone when you came to AKA and you had your polo shirt on right you didn’t really have that much training gear so he kind of looking back man didn’t really speak English but you were just learning you were so happy to be a part of the UFC could you have ever Invision though Habib that your journey would take you to the heights that you went to this year you know like it was 2012 like I told you I told you that time I’m gonna be Champion I’m gonna have 10 and0 UFC Undefeated 27 and all and you know how like I don’t want to say numbers but I told you for how much I’m going to fight impossible nobody fight in our sport for this kind of money it was 2012 I told you and after like how many years like six years it’s happened you know this is about I think this is about uh this is about mental this is about uh do you trust do you be do you really do you really believe this or not because if if somebody have uh Championship mental if you really competitor inside your life inside your heart you know and uh and you stay focused you sacrifice all your time success going to come this is just you have to be patient and that’s it this is what I was following all my life since when I was kid like I don’t even remember like two three four when I find myself on meds you know I was training all my life like people think how you do this how you do like some sometime like people told me like can you show me this how you can do this kind of things or triangle choke arm choke like armar or something like and I’m I’m like sometime I think brother you have to spend hours and hours and hours on the Mets then you’re going to know this is not about just somebody show you and you become champion no you have to spend all your life so your late great father Abdul manav I can argue you should put him into the contributors wing of the UFC Hall of Fame for all that he has done for the culture of you guys making your way to the UFC did he share that confidence though when you made your UFC debut in Nashville Tennessee against Kamal shalar Rus did he share that confidence that you guys thought you were gonna essentially come into the UFC and take over the world is my father was very strong with his mental you know I think this is from him for sure I think this is from him he was teaching me all these things I even like I remember like like when it was biggest fight in UFC history it was very hard time for myself because it I was without father in us fighting doing everything my father was home I was in us like I remember when he called me and he told me you have to listen like listen this is you know how to how people make diamonds with under high pressure when is when you’re gonna feel high pressure you can become diamond or this pressure going to break you you know there is only two things and uh now you have you have to choose this pressure going to break you or you’re going to become diamond and you know these kind of things he told me all my life let’s go to Brooklyn you’re fighting Yak Quita Ally Quint for the lightweight championship of the world bro the jab was on point that night to the point that I’m standing in the front row and you’re talking to me did you feel like in that moment it was just full circle it’s time for me now to become the lightweight champion of the world because for so long it was expected that you would get the belt but in that moment you stepped up and you shine bright man like the diamond that your father expected you to be no it’s like in Brooklyn when I was figh with it was like you know it was like I was all fight I was thinking like can you imagine after couple minute I’m going to be UFC champion I’m going to become best in the world this is what I was following all my life and I’m like okay my job is enough to become UFC champion why I have to do more like and I was talk with you you know like couple times I I I couple times I catch your eyes you know you remember this and I told you this see how is my J it was very funny moment I remember everything what it was inside the fight you know sometime like for examp example end of the fight when I was fight with Conor I don’t remember nothing just when fight finished like what happened like I go crazy but when I was fight with uh Yak Quint like I was controlling I remember everything you know there’s like this is depends where you fight and you fight with who who is your opponent but a de night in Brook clim I control everything my man how are you I know uh sh manag people don’t know we share management so I feel a little closer with you but uh they want me to ask a question I’m just going to stroke you my man you’re so dominant your whole career I remember fighting at 205 when you fought Michael Johnson and he’s saying come on this is my belt this is my time give up give up where where did that come I guess I will ask question where did that come from did you you always talk to people in the gym did DC got you doing that honestly frankly it was very honest talk was Michael Johnson it was not like fres talk or something because because because when I was fight with him I I I really feel it like he was not on my level I respect Michael Johnson he did lot of good guys and like why these guys put like that’s why I was talk with him I’m like brother you have to give up because I have to fight for the title even when I take his arm on the on Kimura I can break his arm but I go very slowly and I talk with him brother give up please because it’s finished I’m gonna break your arm or you have to give up you know was only was only one way you matter of fact khabib Rago metov just dead pants to Michael Johnson all right so we want to ask you about your rivalry with Conor McGregor and I guess it was one-sided in nature but perhaps your greatest asset was your ability to never be flat on fight night when the stages got bigger so did your performances so when you reflect back upon that entire buildup to the McGregor fight and your performance what do you remember most fondly I remember Fight Night when I supposed to fight with him and I was so exciting and I was I can’t wait I really can’t wait when when cage going to close you know and because for me is like competitor it was very interesting what this gu is going to what this guy going to do with my pressure with my wrestling with my top control with my spirit with my conditioning what this guy going to do what like like and I really want to feel his power his speed his uh accuracy his timing like I it was it was he was 30 years old I was 30 years old it was our Prime Time these kind of things I was very exciting like f not only like is my opponent or enemy or something no like when I watch like from fan fan side for me for myself it was very interesting you’ve inspired a country and a lot of that came after uh the McGregor fight where you became Larger than Life right so for as bad as the Rivalry was your star was brighter after that fight you go on the fight Justin gatei and you retired abib when you went into Abu Dhabi did you know that it was it obviously the great Abdul manap had passed and you went into the fight and no one knew like I I didn’t know I spoke to you all week did you know that it was it because I remember now that you say that you said I’m going to be the Undisputed undefeated UFC lightweight champion and you talked about 30 fights and 30 wins and being undefeated and then you stopped at 29 did you know that it was the end and you said in the Octagon I can’t do this without my dad was that the sole reason to because your mother said champ it’s time to stop your dad’s gone we got to do something different my father passed away it was third July and I think it was like after three weeks after three weeks I talk with my mom and I decide we decide and from that time only me and my mom know and uh and I and I called Dan because I because Justin G just beat Tony Ferguson and it was I knew that like they they waiting answer from my side he don’t bother me me and I sent a message Father I in I in but in my mind it was like this is my last fight but nobody knows nobody knows you know this how I honest with you I don’t talk with nobody it was in my mind and uh yeah only two people was this it was just surprising you know John and I were just speaking about it he went in there to interview you and we had no idea so he looked down to me like are you holding something back and and nobody knew and so many were shocked but are you surprised with with the way the retirement’s going to this point and how you’ve inspired a next generation of fighter when you best fighter in the world when you’re strong enough when you have money when you’re famous it’s very hard to say no to all these things it’s very it’s not easy it’s not easy just say no 20 30 40 million but for myself it’s not everything this is not most important it was not easy decision but if I decide just decide it’s finished I leave this alone I am happy and uh like I never regret with my decision never well all of your professional goals you accomplished and you’ve just enriched so many lives along the way we thank you for joining us kabib Nago mov part of the alltime roster and uh we appreciate you joining us we look forward to seeing you down the line my friend thank you so much guys it was very good to see you good to see you as wello medov yes so I look over to Daniel Cormier because we’ve seen a lot of fighters in UFC history go to take their gloves off with no intention of retiring but when khabib was doing this act it seemed pretty final so I looked down to the broadcast booths to my man DC like dude like have you been holding this back and he truly did not know despite their kinship but uh just a tremendous Legacy and uh you know you talk about getting Star Struck around a guy not for you but like dude that guy can’t even interview that guy without getting nervous you know yeah mean yeah he’s and all you know what’s more Star Struck is that he turned down 20 3040 million I mean now we know how much they trying to pay that dude to get him to come back yeah but he said he was very comfortable in the decision but yeah man no idea he was retiring but boy what a way to go out if you’re gonna go out 29 and0 and submitting Justin gate