Former undisputed lightweight champion and Hall of Fame inductee, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been backed to “easily” dispatch incumbent middleweight kingpin, Sean Strickland if he ever makes a return to the UFC – that’s according to close friend and training partner, Islam Makhachev.
Nurmagomedov, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, called time on his 29-0 undefeated professional career back in 2020, landing a second round triangle choke submission win over then-interim lightweight titleholder, Justin Gaethje.
In the time since, the Dagestani wrestling ace has turned his hand to coaching alongside head coach, Javier Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, guiding the aforenoted, Makhachev to a vacant title win over former champion, Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 back in October of last year.