Based on recent history, we’ve seen how Khabib Nurmagomedov deals with every opponent inside the cage. Show him respect and he’ll do the same, but slander his family and religion, and you’ll get an “Eagle” mauling.
With UFC 254 opponent Justin Gaethje, there was nothing but mutual respect and admiration towards each other’s skillset. So Khabib chose to utilize his grappling more than his ground-and-pound before putting “The Highlight” to sleep with a triangle choke.
But according to close teammate Daniel Cormier, there’s another reason why the undefeated Dagestani fighter chose to go that route. In a recent conversation ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, “DC” revealed a conversation he had with Khabib regarding UFC 254’s finish.