Did Khabib Retire too Soon? Or Was it all Planned out?

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest fighters to ever step inside a UFC octagon. He is now building a legacy as one of the greatest coaches ever as well. Khabib's style of fighting is far superior to any individual martial art based on seeing what sambo can do inside an octagon. Sambo is a martial art developed by the Soviets in the early 1920s. It is recognized as a national sport as well. Khabib is the one who made sambo relevant in the UFC. Through the likes of Khabib and Islam, we can clearly see how dominant the martial art of sambo is. It is mainly a grappling martial art that derives from a lot of judo. Sambo has been shown to be more dominant than wrestling and jiu-jitsu as well. With the emergence of Islam and the new arrival of Sharaputdin Magomedov, it makes you wonder what if a sambo fighter paired their grappling abilities with a striking martial art they would be the most dominant fighter to ever step inside an octagon.

Khabib definitely could throw a punch, but he was no boxer. Islam's hands already seem better. Magomed Ankalaev is a striker first. Sharaputdin Magomedov is supposedly a striker first. Both these men are too heavy for Khabib anyway, but Khabib is a smart guy. Did Khabib know eventually someone from Dagestan would be better than him because they not only are masters of sambo, but are also masters of muay thai, boxing, or kickboxing? With more and more Dagestani fighters entering the UFC, it seems like Khabib might have known something. Yes, of course, he obviously shined a spotlight on his home, but maybe his home really is the best place at producing dominant athletes that perform in hand-to-hand combat. Look at his cousin, Islam Makhachev. Islam could be better than Kahbib quickly and Khabib probably stepped down to not have a Sterling/Merab situation like at Bantamweight where the best two fighters in the division won't face off against the other. The UFC is filling up with Dagestani fighters, I am all for it, but eventually, they're going to start having to fight each other and we'll find out who the best is.