Chael Sonnen explains the '#1 reason' why the unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov left the UFC.
From retirement in MMA, it does not last that long with many hunters who pick up the gloves they have ever left, but not in the case of the former UFC light weight champion.
No, on 29-0, Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrew from the sport at the top of his game in 2020 after a successful title defense against Justin Gaethje on UFC 254.
In his interview after the fight, the former champion said that he had a promise to his mother, who wanted him to retire after the death of his father, mentor and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
However, Chael Sonnen does not think that this is necessarily the reason why Nurmagomedov ran away from MMA.
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Chael Sonnen about why most fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov retire
World-famous UFC analyst Chael Sonnen is a multiple title finalist in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions and believes that Nurmagomedov retired because of his problems cutting the weight.
Nurmagomedov had difficulty making 155 pounds during his career, to miss weight once in the UFC and hardly make any championship weight for his last weighting for Justin Gaethje.
“The number one reason why fighters are retiring is because they don't want to arrive anymore,” Sonen said on his YouTube channel.
“Khabib, 29-0, for example, they would have received 30-0 for example. They changed the wrong songs. They added commas and zeros. They had to change the weight class.”
Chael Sonnen says that Khabib Nurmagomedov has finished making 155 pounds'
There is a difference of 15 pounds between the lightweight and welterweight limits instead of the usual 10. The ideal fighting weight of Nurmagomedov would probably be somewhere in between, such as at 165 pounds, a weight class that the UFC does not have.
“You would have Khabib, you would have received it again,” Sonen said if Nurmagomedov had moved in weight.
'Khabib withdrew from the sport because he had finished making 155 [lbs]. That's the truth, “Sonen said.
“There is no difference in Khabib and everyone else. It is the main reason why boys are retiring.”
Chael Sonen went on and said that cutting weight for hunters is not only an aspect of the sport, but a lifestyle that they have to endure …
One that he thinks Khabib Nurmagomedov had enough after 29 professional fights.
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