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Khabib Nurmagomedov is undoubtedly one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. He dominated the lightweight division with his incredible grappling, which made him a feared opponent. He joined the promotion in 2012, where he spent the remainder of his career.
Nurmagomedov is also famously known for his undefeated streak. The Hall of Famer retired from the sport in 2020 with an undefeated 29-0 MMA record. He strove for excellence inside the octagon and was a fighter that was motivated more by competition and respect, rather than money.
Despite his unblemished MMA record and lightweight title win, it's hard to include him on a Mount Rushmore list. Many fighters, both from his era and those that competed prior to him, made a stronger argument for that recognition.
As time goes on, perhaps 'The Eagle' will cement a strong enough legacy outside the octagon to be included on such a list. This list will look at five reasons why Khabib Nurmagomedov shouldn't be a part of UFC’s Mount Rushmore.
#5. Number of UFC events headlined
When thinking of fighters that belong on a Mount Rushmore list, it's natural to take the number of UFC events headlined into account. In Nurmagomedov's case, that's not a stat the helps his argument. He was a fighter that didn't become a headliner until later on in his tenure with the promotion.
Even when competing on some of the free events on FOX, 'The Eagle's bouts didn't serve as the main event. Out of his 13 bouts with the promotion, only four were the main events as they were title fights.
It's also important to note that the final two main event bouts followed his win against Conor McGregor. The bout made him a bigger star because of how personal the buildup was.
In addition, five of Nurmagomedov's 13 bouts with the promotion took place on the prelims portion of the event. He was also forced to withdraw from a few bouts, which resulted in him being unreliable as a headliner.
#4. Many UFC lightweights he could have fought
Khabib Nurmagomedov fought many tough opponents, but there were still a number of intriguing matchups for him. He was inactive for two years between 2014-2016, so he never fought opponents like Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, or 'Cowboy' Cerrone, who were among the top of the division.
At the time, 'The Eagle' was 22-0 and coming off a unanimous decision win against eventual lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. The win improved his record in the promotion to 6-0, so he was clearly ready to compete against the top lightweights.
The promotion also failed to book Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson on numerous occasions.
The two lightweights were linked together throughout their careers as many believed 'El Cucuy' posed the best challenge. The Hall of Famer still has many impressive wins and notable fighters on his resume. But it could have been a much more definitive argument that he was the greatest.
#3. Number of UFC lightweight title defenses
The number of title defenses a UFC champion has is important to their legacy. There have been many dominant champions throughout the promotion's history. The reason title defenses are important is because although getting to the top is tough, it's remaining champion that's much more difficult.
The champion is always preparing for the next challenger and once he overcomes that, there is a list of contenders eager for their opportunity. Nurmagomedov became lightweight champion in 2018 after defeating Al Iaquinta for the vacant title.
'The Eagle' made three successful title defenses before retiring in 2020. Despite his undefeated record, it makes it difficult to include him on Mount Rushmore when there are other dominant champions.
To put his reign in perspective, he has the same number of lightweight title defenses as Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, and BJ Penn.
#2. Retired in the prime of his UFC career
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired while he was in the prime of his career. He would still be considered in his prime, at age 33, if he returned to the octagon. In doing so, it leaves many questions of what more he could have accomplished if he continued fighting.
When he retired, there were also many lightweights ascending the rankings. The promotion also made an exciting addition by signing former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler once he hit the free agent market.
The opponents that 'The Eagle' could have matched up with could have widened the gap between himself and the rest of the division.
Another bout that would have been inevitable was one against Charles Oliveira. Since Nurmagomedov retired, 'Do Bronx' has taken over the division and extended his winning streak to 11 straight wins. If he continues to have success, he could make it increasingly difficult to consider 'The Eagle' on a Mount Rushmore list.
#1. Never moved up a division in the UFC
One knock that some have on Nurmagomedov's legacy is that he never moved up in weight in the UFC. He was a lightweight throughout his tenure with the promotion and never challenged himself at 170lbs.
He was a fighter who cut a significant amount of weight to make 155lbs. And so, it would have been interesting to see him compete at a more natural weight.
Nurmagomedov always expressed his desire to fight Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, but that fight never came to fruition. Although the fight didn't materialize, he still could have taken a fight against another top welterweight.
From a stylistic perspective, fighters like Colby Covington, Belal Muhammad, or Gilbert Burns would have been logical opponents.
Hall of Famers like St-Pierre and Anderson Silva moved up a weight class and challenged themselves, which is why their legacies are viewed differently. Perhaps if 'The Eagle' moved up or challenged the welterweight champion, he'd undoubtedly be considered for the promotion's Mount Rushmore.
