Lev Kravtsiv – about one of the greatest fighters of mixed martial arts
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a hell of a fighter. Before the duel with Geydzhi, many people assumed that Justin would give the Russian the most difficult test in his career. In fact, we saw the complete dominance of Khabib, a quick final and the most touching farewell to mixed martial arts in history.
Legendary no matter how you look at it.
Geydzhi was defeated in his own element
Justin didn’t stand a chance. Before the fight, it was assumed that Khabib might have psychological problems. All because of the death of his father, who was next to Nurmagomedov since childhood, next to him on his sports path.
In fact, the champion came out 100% prepared. Physically powerful, calm, balanced and focused on results. Gage didn’t get anything. A classy drummer, who was supposed to shoot an advancing opponent from a distance, did not have time. Instead of a jab, swing punches. Instead of short low kicks – heavy ones with the aim of breaking them.
Justin seemed to be regularly afraid of Khabib, wanting to stop him instantly. Do not take the amount and cumulative effect, but turn it off immediately. Turn off someone who has never even been knocked down before. The plan is risky to say the least. And certainly not justified.
It was hard for Nurmagomedov to endure low kicks – he was bent, thrown back and turned around. Gaethje invested without trying to work quietly. Charged, not trying to start working in cold blood, as with the same Ferguson. Because of the backlash, it became clear that Justin’s functionality would not be enough beyond the third round. He was rapidly getting tired, breathing badly, and he also collapsed at the end of the round to the cage, allowing a takedown.
In fact, the first five minutes confidently went to Khabib’s asset. He was more active in the stance, though less accurate. He had a takedown and was great downstairs. Yes, he didn’t hit so often, but the overall picture of the battle was fully behind Nurmagomedov.
In the second round, the Russian pushed the pedal even harder to the floor. He began to work on his opponent in the standing position, to shoot him from a distance, even being more productive on his hands. Of course, the low kicks were still on target, but they weren’t that much use.
Then everything is simple: pass, control, tack, access to the triangle, victory. The referee fell asleep without seeing Gaethje pounding earlier, which resulted in Justin being knocked out. The eyes of an American staring into nowhere are a sight to behold. It’s good that the American quickly came to his senses. Even faster than Khabib, who was overwhelmed with emotions.
Nurmagomedov cried sitting on the canvas for several minutes, after which he gave a dramatic speech: about his father, a career in which he just did his job, his mother and the end of his sports career. Mom asked Khabib to end his career after this fight – she did not want her son to perform without a father. Nurmagomedov summed up:
“As long as you have parents, stay close. I have one parent left – I want to spend more time with my mother.
Gone undefeated. Twenty-nine fights, zero defeats. Complete dominance and literal destruction of rivals over the past few years.
It was legendary.
A legacy like no other! thank you @TeamKhabib #UFC254 pic.twitter.com/GGqpGjJluR
— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2020
And now what?
Looks like Khabib is gone for good. It certainly wasn’t show for show’s sake or to promote some future comeback. There are topics that are not played. Even Conor McGregor re-supported Khabib, sympathized with the loss of his father.
In recent years, Nurmagomedov did not look like a man who longed for new challenges. For each next fight, he came out like a robot: he did his job, crushed a little, played with the opponent’s pluses, crushed the opponent, and went on. That’s the whole story.
There were big challenges ahead. Tony Ferguson maybe. Although the American has aged and is unlikely to get better. The transition to another weight is possible, although Nurmagomedov could compete there with big opponents is a mystery. Saint Pierre? Of course, although he passed his peak a very long time ago, it’s strange to force Georges to drop all the way to lightweight.
Therefore, leaving looks logical, even if nothing tragic happened in the Nurmagomedov family. What to do next? There are enough money options, but those that are interesting to the Russians are a secret. A question to which we will never know the answer.
There is finally some intrigue in the easy category. Khabib Nurmagomedov beat everyone, but now there is more than enough competition. Poirier and Conor can easily compete for the championship belt, no matter how strange it may sound, given McGregor’s downtime. On the third line of the rating is Ferguson, who, after the defeat of Gaethje, can rise even higher.
The ideal option: Poirier and Conor duel for the status of a mandatory challenger and a meeting of the winner with Tony Ferguson. Here you have a show, and cutting, and a possible duel between Conor and Ferguson for the belt. Why don’t you have fun?
Lightweight is once again intriguing and eventful. 2021 will be discontinuous.
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