Is Khabib Nurmagomedov Really Undefeated?

Joe Rogan has suggested that Khabib Nurmagomedov should have a loss on his record, pointing to his fight against Gleison Tibau in 2012.

Khabib officially retired with a 29-0 record. His run included victories over the likes of Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier. However, one fight that delivered many talking points was Khabib’s unanimous decision win against Tibau. Many believe, including Rogan, that Tibau’s superior wrestling and striking were enough to earn him the victory.

“I think that’s the one guy that should have beat him. If you look at the record, Khabib’s got an undefeated record, (but) there’s an asterisk. That asterisk is Gleison Tibau. That was a very f**king close fight that I thought Khabib lost, but it was early in Khabib’s career. You know, it was before he won the title,” Rogan said

The Rationale

The most compelling reason for Rogan’s claim is the tactical breakdown. Khabib’s entire game was built on relentless wrestling and suffocating pressure, but against Tibau, a physically strong wrestler himself, Khabib was unable to get a single takedown out of 13 attempts. On the feet, Tibau also landed more strikes, and while the total number of strikes was close, Tibau’s strikes were often cleaner and more effective. 

The scoring system at the time, which was more lenient on octagon control and aggression, favored Khabib, who was constantly moving forward and pressing Tibau against the cage. However, Tibau was the one who landed more strikes and defended all of Khabib’s takedown attempts. 

However, the fight was early in Khabib’s career, before he won the title, and his dominance in every other fight more than makes up for one questionable decision. His wins over the likes of Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier solidified his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.