32-year-old current UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially retired from his sports career.
Dana White, the head of the UFC organization, which conducts mixed martial arts competitions worldwide, shared this news on his Twitter the day before. He published a new photo from a recent meeting with Khabib, and in his signature, he thanked the athlete for his excellent work.
He is 100% officially retired. It was incredible to watch you work. Thank you for everything! Enjoy what comes next, my friend, White wrote.
Later, Khabib himself also published a photo with Dana, taken at the same meeting, and expressed his gratitude in return for the support throughout his stellar career:
Dana, I will never forget your attitude towards me. My father did not forget and my sons will remember you. Today there was a serious conversation between real men. Also thanks to the whole team, partners and fans. I hope you will accept my decision and understand it.
Recall that for the first time, Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement in October last year after winning the fight with American Justin Gage for the UFC champion title.
After that, Dana White repeatedly spoke with Nurmagomedov and offered him various options for returning to the UFC. According to one of these scenarios, Khabib could have had another fight with the Irishman Conor McGregor (their last meeting attracted a lot of media attention due to their long-standing personal dislike for each other) if he had not lost in the fight with Dustin Poirier.
In total, during his career, Khabib Nurmagomedov spent 29 fights and did not suffer a single defeat (12 victories were won in the UFC). Thus, the new holder of the UFC lightweight champion belt will be determined on May 15 during the fight between American Michael Chandler and Brazilian Charles Oliveira.
