One of the only things missing from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legendary career was a second UFC belt.
Despite many challenging weight cuts to 155lbs, the former UFC Lightweight Champion never settled for a fight in the stacked welterweight division.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight three times against the likes of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje before retiring in 2020 with an undefeated record of 29-0.
Nurmagomedov’s protege and current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will look to one-up ‘The Eagle’ when he challenges champion Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title later this year.
A top UFC welterweight believes he knows the reason why Nurmagomedov never moved up to 170lbs.
Joaquin Buckley says Khabib Nurmagomedov didn’t move up to welterweight because his arms were ‘too short’
This weekend’s UFC Atlanta headliner Joaquin Buckley isn’t putting too much stock into Makhachev’s welterweight move, expecting him to retire with a title win because of the level of competition at welterweight.
As for Nurmagomedov…
“Khabib was smart, though,” Buckley said of the former champ on Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel.
“He knew he couldn’t handle guys at 170lbs.
“Them arms was too short,” Buckley referenced Nurmagomedov’s reach as Johnson broke into laughter.
“He don’t get to nobody,” Buckley added.
“So with that being said, much respect for Islam for actually going up, moving up in weight, really wanting to challenge yourself.”
For reference, Nurmagomedov’s arm reach is 70 inches; Buckley’s is 76 inches.
Khabib Nurmagomedov considered featherweight move in 2017
In the lead-up to his fight with Edson Barboza at UFC 219 in Dec. 2017, Nurmagomedov shocked reporters when he mentioned featherweight, the division below, as an option.
Nurmagomedov has fought at 160 lbs and missed weight before at lightweight, but was confident he could make 145 lbs during one of his best weight cuts.
“We’re thinking about 145 now,” Nurmagomedov said during a media scrum in 2017 (via MMA Fighting).
“We’ll see about this…
“Last time I compete at 145, [it was] world championship, 2009,” Nurmagomedov added.
Nurmagomedov had planned on fighting Edson Barboza, Tony Ferguson for a UFC title, and then potentially featherweight for a second belt.
Of course, we never saw Khabib Nurmagomedov in the featherweight division. The lightweight champion struggled to make weight for his final title defense against Justin Gaethje in 2020.