History of Khabib Nurmagomedov in Timeline
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a Russian former professional mixed martial artist, renowned for his undefeated record of 29-0. He held the UFC Lightweight Championship from April 2018 to March 2021, marking the longest reign in that division's history. Widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever, Nurmagomedov was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022. His dominance and unblemished record have solidified his legacy in the sport.
September 1988: Birth of Khabib Nurmagomedov
On September 20, 1988, Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov was born in the village of Sildi in Dagestan ASSR, Soviet Union.
September 2008: Professional MMA Debut
In September 2008, Khabib Nurmagomedov made his professional MMA debut, marking the beginning of his career in mixed martial arts.
2012: Training with SC Bazarganova and K-Dojo, AMA Fight Club and Mamishev Fight Team
In 2012, Khabib Nurmagomedov trained with SC Bazarganova in Kizilyurt, Dagestan, K-Dojo, AMA Fight Club in Fairfield, New Jersey and Mamishev Fight Team in Saint Petersburg.
June 2013: Marriage to Patimat
In June 2013, Khabib Nurmagomedov married Patimat.
2013: Training with Fight Spirit Team
In 2013, Khabib Nurmagomedov trained with Fight Spirit Team in Kolpino, St. Petersburg.
April 2014: Victory Against Rafael dos Anjos
On April 19, 2014, at UFC on Fox 11, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision, dominating the fight.
September 2014: Initial Bout with Donald Cerrone Scrapped
In September 2014, a bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Donald Cerrone at UFC 178 was quickly cancelled after Nurmagomedov suffered a knee injury.
May 2015: Withdrawal from Cerrone Fight
On April 30, Nurmagomedov pulled out of the bout against Donald Cerrone, scheduled for May 23, 2015, at UFC 187, due to a recurring knee injury.
June 2015: Birth of First Daughter
On June 1, 2015, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Patimat welcomed their first daughter.
December 2015: Withdrawal from The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale
In December 2015, Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrew from his scheduled fight on December 11, 2015 against Tony Ferguson at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, citing another injury.
2015: Training with KHK MMA Team
In 2015, Khabib Nurmagomedov trained with KHK MMA Team in Bahrain.
April 2016: Win Against Darrell Horcher
In April 2016, Khabib Nurmagomedov won the fight against promotional newcomer Darrell Horcher by TKO in the second round at UFC on Fox 19.
November 2016: Dominant Win Against Michael Johnson
On November 12, 2016, at UFC 205, Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated the fight against Michael Johnson, winning via submission in the third round.
2016: Co-founding Eagles MMA
In 2016, Khabib Nurmagomedov co-founded his own team, Eagles MMA, with support from Ziyavudin Magomedov.
March 2017: Cancellation of Ferguson Fight
In March 2017, Khabib Nurmagomedov fell ill due to a botched weight cut, leading to the cancellation of his fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 209.
December 2017: Birth of First Son
On December 30, 2017, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Patimat welcomed their first son.
December 2017: Victory Over Edson Barboza
On December 30, 2017, at UFC 219, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Edson Barboza by unanimous decision, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
April 2018: UFC Lightweight Champion
In April 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov became the UFC Lightweight Champion, marking a significant career milestone.
April 2018: Confrontation with Artem Lobov
In April 2018, before the events of UFC 229, Nurmagomedov confronted Artem Lobov, a member of McGregor's team, leading to tensions between the two camps.
August 2018: Lightweight Title Defence Against Conor McGregor
On August 3, 2018, the UFC announced that Khabib Nurmagomedov would make his first defence of his lightweight title against Conor McGregor at UFC 229.
October 2018: Honorary Citizen of Grozny
In October 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov was made an "Honorary Citizen of Grozny" after his victory against McGregor at UFC 229.
October 2018: NSAC Complaint and Suspension
In October 2018, the NSAC filed a formal complaint against both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor following the UFC 229 brawl, resulting in indefinite bans.
October 2018: Post-Fight Brawl at UFC 229
On October 6, 2018, following his victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 229, Khabib Nurmagomedov initiated a post-fight brawl by jumping over the octagon fence and attacking McGregor's cornerman, Dillon Danis.
2018: Advocacy for Crackdown on Nightclubs
In 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov advocated for a crackdown on nightclubs in his home region of Dagestan.
2018: Appeal for Ziyavudin Magomedov's Release
In 2018, after Ziyavudin Magomedov's arrest, Khabib Nurmagomedov used his post-fight speech at UFC 223 to appeal to Vladimir Putin for Magomedov's release.
January 2019: NSAC Suspension and Fine
On January 29, 2019, the NSAC announced a nine-month suspension and a $500,000 fine for Khabib Nurmagomedov, retroactive to October 6, 2018, for his role in the UFC 229 post-fight brawl.
June 2019: New UFC Contract
In June 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov signed a new multi-fight contract with the UFC, securing his future with the organization.
July 2019: Eligibility to Compete
Khabib Nurmagomedov became eligible to compete again on July 6, 2019, after serving his nine-month suspension from the NSAC.
September 2019: Victory Over Dustin Poirier
On September 7, 2019, at UFC 242, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Dustin Poirier via submission, unifying the lightweight titles and earning his second Performance of the Night bonus.
December 2019: Birth of Second Son
On December 22, 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Patimat welcomed their second son.
December 2019: Awarded Order For Services to the Republic of Dagestan
On December 5, 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov and his father, Abdulmanap, were awarded the Order For Services to the Republic of Dagestan for their contributions to sports in Dagestan.
2019: Student at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics
As of 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov was a third-year student at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
2019: Forbes Top Russian Athlete
In 2019, Forbes ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov as the No. 1 most successful Russian athlete, recognizing his financial success and popularity.
2019: Criticism of Play in Dagestan
In 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke out against a play held in Dagestan, describing it as "filth" due to a scene involving a scantily-clad woman.
April 2020: UFC 249 Fight Cancellation
In April 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov was unable to defend his title against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 due to restricted air travel from Russia caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferguson instead fought Justin Gaethje for the interim title.
May 2020: Father's Medical Coma
In May 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov's father, Abdulmanap, was placed in a medically induced coma after contracting COVID-19 following heart surgery.
July 2020: Start of Voting Period for 2021 Awards
In July 2020, the voting period for the 2021 awards began, running until July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020: Death of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov
On July 3, 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov's father and long-time trainer, Abdulmanap, passed away at the age of 57.
October 2020: Transition to Coaching
After retiring in October 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov began coaching fighters with Javier Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy.
October 2020: Controversial Statements
In October 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov criticized French President Emmanuel Macron following the murder of Samuel Paty, expressing offense towards perceived insults to Muslim believers.
October 2020: Victory over Gaethje and Retirement Announcement
On October 24, 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 to unify the UFC Lightweight Championship. Following the win, he announced his retirement from MMA, fulfilling a promise to his mother after his father's passing.
March 2021: Removal from UFC Rankings
Following his title vacation in March 2021, Khabib Nurmagomedov was removed from the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings, ending his run as the #1 ranked fighter.
March 2021: End of Reign as UFC Lightweight Champion
In March 2021, Khabib Nurmagomedov's reign as the UFC Lightweight Champion ended, concluding his time holding the title, he retired undefeated.
March 2021: UFC Officially Accepts Retirement
On March 19, 2021, UFC president Dana White officially accepted Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement decision, and the UFC Lightweight Championship was vacated.
July 2021: End of Voting Period for 2021 Awards
In July 2021, the voting period for the 2021 awards ended, having started in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 2021: Rumors of Professional Football Contract
In August 2021, speculation arose that Khabib Nurmagomedov had signed a professional football contract with Legion Dynamo, but he later denied signing, stating he was just a fan of the club.
June 30, 2022: UFC Hall of Fame Induction
On June 30, 2022, Khabib Nurmagomedov was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, recognizing his outstanding achievements and legacy in mixed martial arts.
July 2022: Induction into UFC Hall of Fame
On July 1, 2022, Khabib Nurmagomedov was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
December 2022: Most Followed Russian on Instagram
As of December 2022, Khabib Nurmagomedov was the most-followed Russian on Instagram, with over 34 million followers.
January 2023: Complete Retirement From MMA
In January 2023, Khabib Nurmagomedov completely retired from MMA, including coaching and cornering, to focus on his family.
January 2023: Retirement from MMA Coaching
In January 2023, Khabib Nurmagomedov retired completely from the sport, ending his time as a full-time coach and cornerman after previously retiring as a fighter.
