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Reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media to react to being named as BBC Sports Personality's World Sport Star of the Year for 2020.
"This award means a lot for me. Recognition is one of the biggest motivation in the life, as in the sport."
Khabib Nurmagomedov beat out Swedish pole-vaulter Armand Duplantis, American reigning NBA champion LeBron James, Americangolf star Dustin Johnson, French footballer Wendie Renard, and Irish boxer Katie Taylor for the prestigious honor handed out by the United Kingdom-based sports network.
Previous winners of the award include Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge, Italian golfer Francesco Molinari, Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, and American gymnast Simone Biles.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is indeed a deserving winner after capping his career off with one of the most dominant performances in the UFC in 2020.
The undefeated Russian announced his retirement back in October after submitting Justin Gaethje in the second round to successfully defend the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 254.
Since then, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been named as the UFC's top pound-for-pound fighter, and has been a constant name mentioned in discussions regarding mixed martial arts' greatest of all time.
Dana White says he will talk to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2021
The future of the UFC's lightweight division hangs in the balance, and it all hinges on one man: reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov announced his retirement at the conclusion of UFC 254 last October, and since then, fans have asked who will the next king at 155-pounds be.
While Nurmagomedov has maintained that he is retired, other people including UFC president Dana White believe otherwise.
As such, the UFC has not yet made the lightweight championship vacant.
There could soon be clarity however, as Dana White said during the UFC 256 pre-fight press conference that he would be meeting with Khabib in January:
"I'm meeting him next month," White said when asked about the status of his meeting with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
