Khabib Nurmagomedov: When Pressure Broke The Diamond
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
This article is part of our “long article” requests through Patreon! A huge thank you to Alteroc (@crwate01) for this excellent topic suggestion.
In an effort to learn more about combat sports, Alteroc laid out an article format that covers three athletes from a specific sport:
An all-time great
A specialist
Someone “weird”
This article covers #1 for MMA: Undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov.
It seems a bit surreal every time I see that 0 in the “loss” column of Khabib’s record. Khabib’s flaws as a fighter are, at this point, pretty well documented through the years we’ve seen him operate in the cage. His career nearly derailed at multiple points due to injuries, it’s something that makes that 0 even more incredible when you think about it. Yet, despite every weird turn, injury, cancelled fight, and outside the cage brawl, Khabib Nurmagomedov is without a doubt the greatest lightweight of all time. With Justin Gaethje looming on the horizon as his next challenger, another win gives him entry into the territory of greatest fighter of all time.
It’s impossible to overstate just how impressive Dustin looked in the leadup to this bout, coming off of one of the greatest fights of all time with all-time great Max Holloway, and finishes over Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez (all-time great Lightweight). He was a true threat to Khabib, or so it seemed at the time. Power, toughness, a more than capable grappler, and cardio to get him into deep waters should he need to, it seemed like Poirier would be the biggest challenge for Khabib to date. Many fans (including the majority of our staff) felt that Dustin would be the one to dethrone the Lightweight kingpin and bring another belt back to ATT.
Khabib utterly dominated him. It was not even close, and that was in large part due to Khabib’s top control grappling, which is arguably the greatest we’ve seen in MMA to date. It’s this particular skillset in this fight that I want to talk about, because Khabib’s top control is, in my opinion, better than his wrestling ability. Khabib’s ability to transition and flow from various positions of control, the pressure he can generate, the reaction time, ability to anticipate and counter his opponents escape attempts are incredible. Once you add in his ground and pound, you have a near perfect top control fighter.
Dustin Hits the Switch….Well, Almost
I want to start by comparing the switch attempts by Dustin to that of another man, Carlos Condit. When facing off against Georges St. Pierre, the other candiate for greatest top control grappler in MMA history, Carlos hit a beautiful switch to get on top of GSP in round 4 of their fight.
We see Condit work his way back to his feet, in a similar position to Khabib and Dustin. GSP has control with a low rear waist-lock and Condit is facing the fence. He’s looking to double leg Condit as he turns to face him. However, in comparing Khabib and GSP’s position, there’s some things note. Khabib is much higher up with his waist-lock than GSP, and his weight is over Dustin’s back. When Dustin attempts to hit the switch (please see Ed Gallo’s article for more information on the switch, it’s discussed in Other Various Tactics), the momentum of Dustin’s rotation turns them towards each other, with his legs bumping against the cage to help stop Khabib’s momentum as well. However, the positioning was not to Dustin’s advantage here. Dustin was unable to get a sharp angle to kick out to the side, sitting straight down instead. There wasn’t much pressure on Khabib’s arm, thus allowing Khabib to slide his grip around to the front. He would have been better served working to keep and build up his base while fighting the grips (credit to Ryan Wagner for helping with this portion and the wrestling exchange). Instead of a reversal, like with Condit vs. GSP, we saw Dustin end up on his back with Khabib’s holding the tight waist-lock. Dustin decided it was better to keep turning and give his back up rather than fight off a mounted Khabib.
From this point on, Khabib just puts a positional grappling clinic on. After sliding the hooks in with ease, Dustin rolls over and begins trying to defend the choke, most likely assuming Khabib would play on the back a bit. Khabib opts for something….well, it’s scary. Khabib lets the hooks go, instead choosing to place his hips perpendicular to Dustin’s. His goal is to break Dustin, not let him sit and defend a choke. At 2:39, there’s a small moment where Khabib threatens an eye gouge, something I missed in the first couple of viewings of the fight. Despite he’s clear advantage, he knows every little thing counts when trying to break an opponent, especially one as tough as Dustin. A denial here, a punch there, it all adds up. Khabib showing Dustin he is more than willing to bend or break the rules is just an added bit of mental pressure on Dustin. Khabib’s goal is to break Dustin, someone who didn’t break fighting the likes of Gaethje or Max Holloway, men who specialize in breaking their opponents down, physically and mentally. They couldn’t crack The Diamond, Khabib would.
At 2:28, we see Khabib step into an in-between back mount and mount. Dustin is on his side, unsure which direction to go, as Khabib begins threatening a choke. While doing this, Khabib plants his foot on the mat, his leg pressed against the hipline of Dustin. Khabib’s awareness here is impressive, as he knows there’s only one possible direction Dustin can go due to their positioning next the cage. Look at everything he’s doing in just the span of a few seconds here, grabbing and pulling at the neck, breaking posts, landing punches, both floating over Dustin while also maintaining pressure as well, forcing Dustin to react and move. It’s incredible.
At 1:55, we see Dustin forced to avoid punches and actually is in a sitting position, and Khabib’s S-mount already had him in a position to control Dustin’s lower body without having to lock up a triangle. At 1:53, you actually see Khabib flex his foot against the thigh of Dustin to lock him down. Dustin is forced to turn back, and is eventually able to stand up, but he’s not free and is back up against the fence with Khabib controlling him once more.
The Definition of Insanity
If you fail once, do the exact same thing again expecting different results right? While attributed incorrectly to Albert Einstein, Dustin attempts another switch, exact same position, exact same outcome. One might go as far as calling them VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL!!!!, corn nuts. This time, Dustin stays seated, and Khabib works to consolidate control. Khabib is not one to force positions, he takes what’s given to him and works with it. Dustin doesn’t want to give up his post? Fine, Khabib just starts hitting him….and hitting….and hitting some more. Khabib postures up and finally Dustin concedes, falling to his back after some big shots by Khabib. Fully mounted now, Khabib lands hard elbows and Dustin extends an arm to push away and turn. With just a few moments left in the round, Khabib simply stands up and actually turns Dustin into the fence so he can throw his last few punches to end the round.
But we must note something important before moving forward. Dustin was not a beaten man at the end of this round. Let’s take a look at his demeanor in the corner.
That is not a broken man. Conversing with his corner, discussing tactics, and acknowledging the advice being given. In round 2, Dustin had the best moments of the fight on the feet, landing his cleanest shots. He was still in it, mentally and physically. Unfortunately, that would change, and drastically, in the coming round.
The Cracks Appear
We see round 2’s mauling on the ground begin with a failed guillotine attempt from Poirier (noticing a pattern here). Khabib easily pops his head out and drives his weight into Dustin’s chest and face against the cage. Watch Khabib’s right leg/foot. As Khabib rotates and brings Dustin’s upper body to the mat, he also leaves his right leg behind to slide it out from between Dustin’s leg. After getting Dustin off the cage, he quickly brings his knees against the instep of Dustin, blocking him from any attempt at recovering a guard or half-guard. Because Dustin has the cage blocking any sort of hip escape to create space, he’s able to easily move to side control from this point.
Dustin rotated and has his feet planted against the cage, ready to push off and create space. After a few seconds of side control, Khabib opts for a knee on belly position. He still keeps the pressure with his head, not giving much room to breathe, but the knee on belly offers Khabib more reactive options depending on how Dustin will attempt to escape once Khabib starts hitting him. Dustin attempts to turn in and grab a single leg, unsuccessfully. It was easy for Khabib to lock up the front headlock and bring his leg back, sprawling on the prone Poirier.
Khabib’s quarter-mount is a staple of his game, and Khabib constantly driving his head into Dustin’s neck and face, the ripping out of his posts, and forcing Dustin to wear out his arms, were all calculated and executed to perfection. At 2:29, Khabib grabs a hold of Dustin’s wrist. He stands up to create some space and pulls the hand up with him, placing it in between Dustin’s legs. Dustin won’t just leave it where Khabib put it, and grabs a collar tie, leaving his body wide open for Khabib to land a solid left to the body.
At 2:09, we see the cracks forming. Dustin is able to get to his hands and knees, and wiping blood from his eye. The breathing is heavy, his face devoid of any sort of fire or will to fight it seems. Dustin would spend the rest of the round pressed against the cage, defending takedowns and mat returns. The Diamond was breaking.
Hunched over with his hands on his knees, told to take deep breaths, asking him if he’s going to win. This time in the corner is very different. It’s a corner that’s desperately trying to talk their fighter back into the fight, willing him not to break. Khabib’s pressure has taken it’s toll.
The End of the Road: Breaking the Diamond
As I’ve already talked about Dustin’s last ditch guillotine attempt on Khabib (be sure to check it out, it’s a fantastic video with my friend and superb blackbelt Gene Sakirski) I will discuss from the point of escape.
After the escape, Khabib works to establish his quarter mount again. Dustin has broken by now, and is literally clawing and crawling away from him. Khabib feels it. He grabs Dustin’s right arm and pulls it in, eliminating his ability to try and get to all fours again. He slides his left leg in between Dustin’s, driving his hips down and begins to punch Dustin. He’s not fighting back, curled against the cage, just looking for a moment of respite. Khabib begins to attack the neck, landing punches with one hand while sliding his other arm through. Dustin is just barely defending it, lowering his chin, hiding behind his shoulder. Khabib gives him a bit of space, allowing him to try and stand, but he pulls Dustin (literally) to his chest, lifting him off the canvas a bit. Dustin looks ahead, a beaten man. Khabib lands a few more punches and slides his arm through around the neck. The choke is locked in, Dustin taps, and The Diamond was broken.
To see Khabib break a man like Dustin Poirier was something special. Dustin had his issues early in his career, but this was a mature, grown up Dustin Poirier. It didn’t matter in the end, and Khabib broke him like everyone else. What makes Khabib so great is his ability to not only smash his opponents technically and physically, but to break them mentally. Seeing Dustin’s fight with Dan Hooker this past weekend shows just what it means to try and break Dustin’s will at this stage in his career. The fact that Khabib was able to do it, and in less than 3 rounds, is the perfect encapsulation of the greatness of Khabib Nurmagomedov.