Islam Makhachev will make UFC history this weekend with a successful lightweight title defense against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311.
Breaking Khabib Nurmagomedov, BJ Penn and Benson Henderson's record of three lightweight defenses is one way Makhachev can step out of the shadow of 'The Eagle'. A little known fact, however, is that Makhachev began to outshine Nurmagomedov in his fifth UFC appearance against Gleison Tibau.
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Fans thought Khabib Nurmagomedov had lost the fight against Gleison Tibau
Nurmagomedov fought Tibau in his second UFC appearance on the undercard of Michael Bisping vs. Vitor Belfort in January 2013. Their three-round fight was as exciting as it gets, with Tibau landing Nurmagomedov and defending 13 takedowns while nailing one of his own secured.
The first round was narrow, with both men landing subtle shots and defending takedowns; Nurmagomedov's control of the cage gave him the edge. In the second round, Tibau landed big with a left hand and defended Nurmagomedov's entire attack while securing a takedown. A cut on Tibau's forehead and some dogfighting from Nurmagomedov could have influenced the jury's decision.
“Gleison seems to be the better fighter in this part of the game,” said commentator Joe Rogan in the opening minute of the third round. As the fight played out, the Brazilian remained a brick wall for Nurmagomedov. “We both think he'll probably lose if he decides,” Rogan continued.
Nurmagomedov took a unanimous decision, 30-27, on all scorecards, although five of six media members and 54 percent of fans had it in favor of Tibau.
Media and fan ratings for Nurmagomedov vs. Tibau /Photo credit: MMADecisions.com
Islam Makhachev eliminated Gleison Tibau to silence the doubts
While the Tibau fight remained a wrinkle in Nurmagomedov's career, his protégé, Makhachev, got the chance to test his mettle against Tibau in 2018.
Makhachev passed with flying colors, taking out Tibau with a huge overhand left hand while going for a lazy leg kick. All in all it took less than a minute. However, it's worth noting that the version of Tibau that fought Nurmagomedov had just defeated future lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. He was on a two-fight losing streak against Makhachev.
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