Khabib Nurmagomedov, considered one of the greatest fighters of all time, strategically allowed Dustin Poirier to attempt a guillotine choke during their 2019 fight to tire him out, ultimately leading to Nurmagomedov’s victory and making the fight especially memorable as his father was present in his corner.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. Turns out, he also deserves credit as a master strategist.
Back in 2019, the undefeated Russian was prepping for his second defense of his UFC lightweight title. He was set to face interim champion Dustin Poirier, who was riding a six-fight win streak with notable victories over Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and Max Holloway.
Poirier, known for his striking prowess, also has an impressive ground game. His go-to submission? The guillotine choke. Despite never finishing an opponent with it in a professional bout, Poirier remained committed to this move — and Khabib knew it heading into UFC 242.
“It was all my training camp when I’m going to try to take him down, his right hand guillotine is very good,” Nurmagomedov explained on the Inspire Me podcast. “He always tries this. Not left hand — right hand. Because he’s a southpaw, he takes with right hand and he moves his hips. I know because I’m orthodox with [my] right hand but I like to choke people with left hand. I knew he was going to try to choke me with [his] right hand.”
“First time I [gave it to him], he don’t take. The second time when he take this, I let him choke me, he goes to maximum, I changed my body. I came back, I [gave it to] him because I tried to make him tired.”
Nurmagomedov acknowledges that allowing Poirier to sink in his guillotine choke was risky. But he felt it was his best path to victory.
With Poirier so committed to the submission, Khabib just had to relax and find his escape. Then he’d have an exhausted opponent underneath him.
“It was my plan, but it was a very dangerous plan,” Nurmagomedov said. “Because you have to be careful. Maybe you think he’s not choking you and you can go to sleep. After that, when I escaped, I understand he’s finished. I take his back and I choke him out.”
Skill for skill, Nurmagomedov was always one of the most ferocious competitors in the UFC octagon. That night, Poirier faced an even tougher battle trying to pull off the upset.
The fight took place in Abu Dhabi. This meant Khabib’s father Abdulmanap could participate in his training camp and work in his son’s corner for one of the biggest fights of his career.
“I was thinking about Dustin, I think this guy is crazy,” Nurmagomedov said. “He thinks I’m going to tap in front of my father? [The guillotine choke attempt] was very close to father, I remember. I changed my hips, escaped, come out.”
For all the big wins in his career, Khabib says that performance against Poirier might be his favorite. His father being there made those final days before successfully defending his UFC lightweight title extra special.
“I think it was my best time,” Nurmagomedov said. “Because my father was with me all my training camp, when I cut weight, when I was backstage before I go to the cage, when you go to the cage, come out — everywhere, my father was with me. It was the best time in the UFC for me.”
Sadly, Abdulmanap passed away due to complications from COVID-19 in 2020. That fight against Poirier holds an even bigger place in Khabib’s heart now because he shared it with his father.
He even remembers a moment talking to his father in the corner while attempting to secure a finish over Poirier.
“I remember all the time, all action, what happened was very close to the cage; it was very close to [my] father in my corner,” Khabib said. “It was very funny moments. Like first time I take him down, I take his back; tried to choke him but cannot; and [my] father told me: ‘Do this; do this; change your hips; change your leg.’”
“I remember trying to choke him the first time but Dustin did a very good job and escaped. And I looked at father and said: ‘He’s sleeping?’ or something like this; and father said: ‘No; focus on him; don’t talk with me!’ It was very funny moments.”