While most eyes will be on Conor McGregor this Saturday, it won’t be the Irishman carrying a belt to the Las Vegas Octagon.
For the first time since he took on Chad Mendes more than three years ago, McGregor will not be announced as a UFC champion.
That honour instead belongs to the man in the opposite corner, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the lightweight ruler since he outclassed Al Iaquinta in New York in April.
But while plenty is known about McGregor, what about the Russian who is the favourite to send the former ‘champ champ’ back to the sidelines?
Here, we take a look at the man they call The Eagle…
Early life and family
Nurmagomedov was born in modern-day Dagestan, the second of three children; older brother Magomed and younger sister Amina. His father Abdulmanap coaches his son but was not granted a US visa and will be absent from his corner on Saturday night. Khabib showed a proficiency for wrestling from as young as two years old, copying his father’s students.
His brother initially showed more promise on the mat but it was Khabib’s determination to train with adults when he was just a teenager that marked him out for a bright future.
Early career
Nurmagomedov was 20 when he made his mixed martial arts debut and won four fights inside a month – albeit with three of them coming in one night in the Pankration Atrium Cup in Moscow. Despite fighting exclusively in Russia and Ukraine, Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten 16-win streak caught the attention of the UFC and he signed up in 2011.
UFC career
Nurmagomedov has won all 10 of his fights in the premier MMA promotion:
bt Al Iaquinta via UD to win lightweight title
bt Edson Barboza via UD
bt Michael Johnson via submission (kimura)
bt Darrell Horcher via TKO (punches)
bt Rafael dos Anjos via UD
bt Pat Healy via UD
bt Abel Trujillo via UD
bt Thiago Tavares via KO (punches and elbows)
bt Gleison Tibau via UD
bt Kamal Shalorus via submission (rear-naked choke)
Missing weight
Nurmagomedov has twice missed weight in the UFC; before he took on Abel Trujillo in 2013 and again last year before his interim lightweight title fight against Tony Ferguson which was scrapped.
Nurmagomedov was given the go ahead to face Trujillo at a catchweight but his weight cut last year left him in hospital. But since then he has made the 155lb limit and insists that will not be an issue this week.
Controversies
McGregor may have been full of bombast and insults at last month’s press conference, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t do his homework.
And after an intense event during which a stoic Nurmagomedov struggled to get a word in edgeways, the pair squared off.
UFC president Dana White initially kept the rivals at arm’s length before McGregor said: "Come on, I’m not going to touch him, I’m not going to touch him. Let’s get face to face, lets get close, look into the eyes."
White replied: "Don’t touch each other, please" before allowing the fighters to inch closer.
Once nose-to-nose, McGregor said to Nurmagomedov: "You’re dead, you’re dead, you’re dead. I can see blue lips, blue lips."
Face-off complete, White said: "Alright, face forward guys," before McGregor added: "Blue lips, take a breath kid."
Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz then entered the fray as McGregor posed with the two belts he previously held simultaneously.
The 30-year-old was stripped of both the 145lb and 155lb straps during his hiatus from the UFC during which he fought Floyd Mayweather.
"Get this s *** out of here, this motherf*** got no belts," Ali Abdelaziz said.
McGregor didn’t take kindly to the interjection.
“Shut your mouth, Ali Abdelaziz, You terrorist snitch!" he said. "I know a lot about you as well, you mad rat. I know a lot about you as well! You keep your mouth shut kid! Let me take my picture.
"How’s Noah? How’s Noah? Yeah, shut your mouth! Never speak about me, ever in your life! Watch yourself around me, ‘cos you’ll be out of here quick.
"Fool! Don’t come at the king, don’t ever come at the king!"
McGregor is believed to be alluding to Al Abdelaziz’s time as an informant for the FBI after he was recruited to assist them with an investigation into the Muslims in America organisation.
And the ‘Noah’ he referred to is beliefved to be Abselaziz’s son who he no longer sees and is allegedly owe thousands in child support.
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