Khabib Nurmagomedov says wrestling improved since UFC retirement

Khabib Nurmagomedov claims his wrestling is sharper now than when he retired as undefeated UFC lightweight champion.

Nurmagomedov stopped competing after beating Justin Gaethje in October 2020, stepping away at 29-0 following the death of his father and longtime coach Abdulmanap. The Hall of Famer has spent the past six years coaching and pursuing business interests, but his training partners say he remains dominant on the mat — especially after putting on additional weight.

Khabib says 2020 retirement came before his grappling peak

Per Sherdog, Nurmagomedov told the Smol Talk podcast that he watches his old fights and spots mistakes invisible to most viewers. "People think my prime was between 2018 and 2020, but I wasn't in my prime back then. I turned 32 in September 2020, and I retired in October," he said. "So, I hadn't even really begun yet."

The Dagestani added that teammates who rolled with him in both eras confirm the improvement. "My grappling has improved tremendously since then. In 2026, it's much better than it was in 2020," Nurmagomedov said. "I watch my old fights now and think, 'How could I have made that mistake here?' Meanwhile, people watching from the outside say, 'Wow, what a level.' But to me, that's not the level."

Nurmagomedov defended the lightweight title three times before retiring and has not indicated any interest in returning to competition.

Photo: Airotcivss / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Khabib Nurmagomedov: I’m a better wrestler today than during UFC title reign