UFC 254 news: Khabib Nurmagomedov's 10 greatest wins ranked after announcing retirement

After taking down Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, it is time to look at Khabib Nurmagomedov’s 10 best victories over the course of his fighting career with the promotion.

“The Eagle” recorded his 29th career victory against Gaethje in Abu Dhabi, a win which continues his 100% fighting record and continues his impressive run with Dana White's company.

Furthermore, the debate continues as to whether or not Khabib should be considered as one of the all-time greats in the sport's history, but surely most people will say yes he is.

As the Russian continues his road to GOAT status, we’ve gone ahead and ranked 10 of his best victories over the years.

10. Khabib vs. Shalorus (2012)

Khabib began his journey with a reckless victory over Kamal Shalorus in three rounds. A dominant display throughout saw the Russian unleash a rear-ended choke to force a submission from Shalorus. An incredible start to what would become an illustrious UFC career so far.

9. Khabib vs. Healy (2013)

Pitted against a tough opponent in Healy, Khabib was poised to continue his unbeaten run in Toronto, Canada, and he did so with a ruthless display. The highlight of the night was surely the huge running slam that got the whole crowd going. A tough fight resulted in a unanimous and well-deserved win for “The Eagle”.

8. Khabib vs. Barboza (2017)

What a way for Khabib to end 2017. Two days before the New Year, the Russian put on a relentless performance, which he called his “most dominant performance to date”. Khabib’s pace and drive was too much for Barboza to handle, leading to a unanimous decision victory for the Russian, his 25th career win.

7. Khabib vs. Johnson (2016)

When a fight goes to the ground, it’s really only one outcome when Khabib is involved. Despite a strong start from Johnson, Khabib took advantage in the third round and forced a third-round submission from the American, with Khabib winning the fighting via Kimura. Khabib’s confidence was at an all-time high post-match, as he demanded a title shot and called out Conor McGregor, foreshadowing a future fight between the two.

6. Khabib vs. Tavares (2013)

This was brutal. Khabib was ferocious throughout and nearly killed Tavares in what resulted in a first-round KO. The fight could’ve arguably finished earlier given the onslaught that occurred throughout the first and only round. It was an uppercut that ultimately dropped the Brazilian to the ground, and Khabib continued to make a name for himself early in his career.

5. Khabib vs. Poirier (2019)

No surprise, another emphatic performance from Khabib. As if he hadn’t already cemented himself as one of the most reckless and disciplined MMA fighters, the Russian was too overwhelming for Poirier, as the fight ended with a rear-naked choke, which forced a Poirier submission. Still unbeaten in his career, everyone now had one question on their minds: who’s ever going to beat this guy?

4. Khabib vs. Horcher (2016)

Sheer willpower from Khabib propelled him to a well deserved victory over Horcher in Tampa, Florida. Khabib punished his opponent with his relentless grind and work ethic, which proved too much to handle for the American. The result was a trademark TKO from the Russian, as Khabib won his 23rd straight, showing no signs of slowing down.

3. Khabib vs. Iaquinta (2018)

In his longest UFC fight to date, it took the Russian five rounds to take down Iaquinta to at last claim the title of UFC lightweight champion. He won all five rounds, despite credit being given to Iaquinta’s perseverance, Khabib’s jabs and combos led him to victory. The significance of this win was not only the title triumph, but the dawn of a new era in the lightweight division.

2. Khabib vs. McGregor (2018)

What a 2018 it was for Khabib. The fight received 2.4 million PPV buys and really lived up to the hype. It took four rounds before Khabib ultimately forced a McGregor submission as a result of a perfectly executed neck crank. The Russian’s well-roundedness was on full display, which McGregor couldn’t match, especially on the canvas, where Khabib once again proved too strong for his opponent. Khabib thus became the undisputed lightweight champion in UFC, what more could he do now?