Goodbye, Khabib! (Video included)

The Dagestan legend beats the opponent by submission in the second round and then announce his retirement: “I promised my mother, without my father I can no longer fight”. Khabib leaves undefeated: 29 victories out of 29.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is and will remain unbeatable, simply. Not only in an octagon of MMA. The strongest fighter of all time, after winning his twenty-ninth match out of twenty-nine against Justin Gaethje, thanked his opponent for the challenge respectfully calling him “my brother” and announced his retirement.

Khabib Nurmagomedov no longer wanted to fight after the death of his father Abdulmanap, who died a few months ago because of Covid-19. The man who had raised him, trained him, created him, forged him as a man and a fighter. Khabib did it this time to honor his memory, but then he had to honor another promise. And after a clear, indisputable victory, after little more than 4 minutes, Khabib Nurmagomedov takes his belt, cries a few tears, grabs the microphone and announces that he will not fight anymore.

“I didn’t want to go back in an octagon anymore”, Khabib said in tears, “after my father’s death. And I promised my mother that this would be my last fight, I must keep my word. Without him I can no longer fight”. A noble promise, said by eyes that will not breach it. There is no coming back.

When you meet someone like Khabib Nurmagomedov you don’t just have a body in front of you, you have a legend. The legend of a guy who if he catches you, he will never let you go. And, at the end of the match, when the whole world takes off its hat in front of a man who so proudly keeps his hat on (the papakha, symbol of the Dagestan people), comes the tribute of the most bitter rival, Conor McGregor.