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At UFC 254, Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Justin Gaethje in the second round of their highly awaited UFC Lightweight Title showdown. In the post-fight interview, The Eagle confirmed his retirement from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
During the recent episode of DC & Helwani, Daniel Cormier confirmed that he had an hour-long phone call with Khabib Nurmagomedov right after his announcement and The Eagle pretty much confirmed his retirement during it.
During the phone call with DC, Khabib Nurmagomedov also revealed his next plan after his retirement. The Eagle claimed that his goal now is to train Islam Makhachev, who also competes in the UFC's Lightweight division.
Here is what DC had to say:
Islam Makhachev was initially scheduled to fight at the UFC 254 pay-per-view and share the card alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, his opponent Rafael dos Anjos tested positive for COVID-19, which led to the withdrawal of the Brazilian from the fight.
That being said, the fight has now been re-scheduled and it remains to be seen if Khabib Nurmagomedov will corner Islam Makhachev for the fight or not.
Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement from MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement from MMA has made the UFC Lightweight Division a lot more interesting now, given that the division title is likely to be vacated.
Nevertheless, Khabib Nurmagomedov's loss to this sport is definitely a big one. Fans wanted to see him get to 30-0, with his last fight potentially being against Georges St-Pierre. However, the latest details provided by DC means that we may not see the undisputed Lightweight Champion inside an octagon again.
The Eagle is expected to pursue a career in coaching as revealed by Javier Mendez, and it will be interesting to note how Khabib Nurmagomedov keeps himself associated with the sport.
The UFC Lightweight Division, meanwhile, is expected to be built around the likes of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson, and Justin Gaethje among a lot of other talented names.
