Khabib Nurmagomedov’s 28th career win followed a familiar blueprint as he continued his reign as the UFC’s undisputed lightweight champion.
Nurmagomedov faced off against then-interim champion Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi and used his suffocating ground game to neutralize Poirier’s striking offense and secure a third-round submission finish.
The Russian showcased his wrestling advantage early as he took Poirier to the mat and threatened to take the American’s back. But Poirier, himself a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, recognized the danger and was able to turn himself away from danger. Nurmagomedov stayed glued to his opponent, however, and dragged Poirier to the mat for a second time before the first round came to a close.
The second round saw Poirier look to find success with his strikes early in Round 2 and had Nurmagomedov backing up as he connected with a flurry of strikes. But, after that initial flurry, “The Diamond” visibly started to breathe heavily, and his punches started to look slow and labored. Nurmagomedov saw his opportunity and took Poirier to the mat once again.
Nurmagomedov showcased his positional mastery on the ground as he weighed heavily on his opponent and prevented Poirier from fighting his way back to his feet. With a cut seeping blood down his face, Poirier attempted to get back to his feet but was unable to get his back off the cage as Nurmagomedov took him down once again. The Russian’s relentless pace and single-mindedness in attack meant that even when Poirier did manage to get back to his feet, he wasn’t given an inch of space by the champion.
After two grueling, grinding rounds of action, Poirier knew he needed to go for it, and snatched Nurmagomedov’s neck as the Russian looked for a takedown. But, despite “The Diamond” going all out to finish the submission, Nurmagomedov was able to escape Poirier’s guillotine choke and end up on top of the American. He swiftly moved to Poirier’s back and locked up a tight rear-naked choke that forced the tap and registered the 28th straight win of his remarkable career.
Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) returns Saturday when he takes on interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC 254, which takes place Saturday at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Before he faces Gaethje, relive Nurmagomedov’s finish of Poirier via the video above.