Khabib Nurmagomedov is not the perfect mixed martial artist, though you could be forgiven for believing it so after a brief glance at his unparalleled career. With a third-round submission win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, his record stands at an incredible 28-0.
More impressive than the number of victories is the manner of his wins, each one a masterclass of grappling, discipline and pure destructive willpower.
Compared to other elite fighters, however, his stand-up game is rudimentary, reckless and often seemingly lacking rhyme or reason.