Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement: Chael Sonnen reveals the real reason he left MMA | MMA News
When Khabib Nurmagomedov walked away from MMA in 2020, he did so at the peak of his career, holding an unblemished 29-0 record. His retirement came after a dominant title defense against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, and in his emotional post-fight interview, he made it clear why he was leaving. The former lightweight champion said he had promised his mother he wouldn’t fight on after the passing of his father and lifelong coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. It was a noble and heartfelt reason, but now, UFC legend Chael Sonnen has offered a different take. According to Sonnen, Khabib’s retirement wasn’t just about family—it was about the brutal weight cuts he endured to stay at 155 pounds.
Chael Sonnen reveals the hidden truth: “Khabib was done making 155”
Chael Sonnen, a multiple-time title challenger and one of MMA’s most outspoken analysts, believes that weight-cutting struggles played a much bigger role in Khabib’s decision to retire than people realize. Sonnen pointed out that Nurmagomedov had a history of difficult weight cuts throughout his career, even missing weight once in the UFC and barely making championship weight for his final fight against Gaethje.
“The number one reason fighters retire is ’cause they don’t wanna make weight anymore,” Sonnen stated in a video on his YouTube channel
He argued that Khabib likely would have continued fighting if he had moved up in weight, but the UFC doesn’t have a 165-pound division—an ideal middle ground between lightweight and welterweight. The jump from 155 to 170 pounds is significant, and Sonnen believes that played a role in Khabib’s decision to walk away.
“You would’ve got Khabib, you’d have got him one more time,” Sonnen claimed. “Khabib retired from the sport ‘because he was done making 155 [lbs]. That’s the truth.”
Sonnen went further, emphasizing that extreme weight cutting isn’t just a challenge but a grueling lifestyle. After 29 professional fights, he believes Khabib simply had enough.
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While Khabib’s promise to his mother remains a crucial part of his retirement story, Sonnen’s perspective adds another layer. The undefeated Dagestani champion may have had more fights left in him physically, but if Sonnen is right, the exhausting toll of cutting weight was just too much. Perhaps if the UFC had a 165-pound division, we’d have seen Khabib chase 30-0. Instead, he walked away—at the top, but also empty.
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