'Came closest...' Khabib Nurmagomedov had no doubt which opponent gave him toughest test in undefeated UFC career

Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated his title as UFC Lightweight champion in March 2021 as he announced his retirement from professional MMA fighting, having never tasted defeat across the entirety of his career.

The Dagestani fighter secured some noticeable victories throughout his UFC career, including his victory over Al Iaquinta to win the vacant Lightweight Championship before defending this crown against Conor McGregor.

Nurmagomedov’s submission victory over the Irish fighter marked the beginning of McGregor's decline as a serious contender in the UFC and for titles.

However, while fans may have viewed McGregor as the most difficult opponent that Nurmagomedov will have faced due to all the antics that also occurred outside the octagon too, the Dagestani fighter believes another individual was his toughest test, and he had no hesitation when naming him.

The 37-year-old has now explained to Lex Fridman on his YouTube channel that Justin Gaethje proved to be his toughest opponent for several reasons leading up to the fight.

Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia kicks Justin Gaethje in their lightweight title bout during the UFC 254 event on October 25, 2020 on UFC Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Getty Images

Firstly, the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer lost his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, to Covid-19 before the bout, something that played heavily on his mind.

Secondly, Nurmagomedov found the training camp difficult as he battled several injuries to ensure that he could defend his UFC Lightweight title.

He said: “In fights, no, you’ve never seen my limit in fights. Gaethje came closest to it. First and foremost, it was because I had lost my father.

“It was hard to pull myself together. Everything piled up at once; my father was gone. Training without my father, without the person I was doing this for, the person I wanted to become champion for, to prove to him that I could become the best. Physically, I was not in the best shape; I had injury after injury after injury. But, mentally speaking, I stayed completely sharp.”

This fight was the last that Nurmagomedov would ever contest in the UFC, despite Dana White attempting to convince him otherwise but he failed to entice the Dagestani fighter back to the octagon.

The reason is that Nurmagomedov made a promise to his mother that he would never fight without his father in his corner, and he has maintained this pledge.