Getty/YouTube Khabib Nurmagomedov
Russian-born UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most dominant forces in the sport, and his stock may rise even more after revealing pictures of a viral infection he dealt with before his last fight.
Nurmagomedov (29-0) fought Justin Gaethje in October during the main event of UFC 254 on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. “The Eagle” put on one of the most impressive performances of his undefeated career, finishing the interim lightweight champ in the second round via triangle choke.
Although after the fight Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from MMA, he is still the undisputed champion with UFC president Dana White expressing optimism that the lightweight king will fight once more.
GettyKhabib Nurmagomedov poses on the scale during the UFC 254 weigh-in on October 23, 2020 on UFC Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
After his bout with Gaethje, Nurmagomedov also revealed multiple things he was dealing with prior to UFC 254. The Eagle was hospitalized with mumps in mid-September and the viral infection caused the champion to miss two weeks of his training camp.
In a recent interview with fellow fighter and Russian Magomed Ismailov, Nurmagomedov showed a picture of his face, which he took after it became severely swollen from the infection. He also shared a picture of his leg which had been bandaged.
YouTubeKhabib Nurmagomedov
YouTubeKhabib Nurmagomedov
During the interview, The Eagle told Ismailov that he had broken his thumb before the Gaethje fight as well, and had it wrapped up for the fight.
Even though he dealt with a lot, Nurmagomedov still took out “The Highlight” in less than two rounds. After the fight, The Eagle was also elevated in the official UFC male pound-for-pound rankings, moving up from No. 2 to the top spot by surpassing former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
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