Khabib Nurmagomedov turned in a career-high performance on Saturday with a second-round submission of Justin Gaethje that unified the UFC lightweight title and extended his unbeaten streak to 29-0.
Then Nurmagomedov shocked everyone by putting down his gloves and announcing his retirement after breaking down in tears with the 29th win of his career.
Fighting back emotion, Nurmagomedov explained his decision to retire as a way to honor his mother after the unexpected death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, from COVID-19 earlier this year.
The announcement took the MMA world by surprise, and here’s how fighters reacted
Good performance @TeamKhabib.