Khabib Nurmagomedov apparently showed mercy towardJustin Gaethje even though he rendered the American unconscious with a triangle choke Saturday atUFC 254.- The reigning UFC lightweight champion had an opportunity for an armbar finish midway through the second round, which was his late father's favorite move.
- That's according to the UFC commentator Daniel Cormier, a friend of Nurmagomedov's, who told ESPN this week that he transitioned to the triangle because he did not want to hurt Gaethje too badly.
- Had he used an armbar, Nurmagomedov could easily have broken Gaethje's arm.
- Nurmagomedov apparently told Cormier that he knew Gaethje's parents were watching, and he did not want the parents to see Gaethje with a broken bone, so he sent him to sleep instead.
Khabib Nurmagomedov didn't want to badly hurt Justin Gaethje because he knew the American's parents were watching Saturday's UFC 254 event on Fight Island, the Russian fighter's training partner said.
Gaethje flew his mother and father business class to Abu Dhabi, and said throughout the build-up to his UFC lightweight championship fight that he was going to earn enough to ensure his mom would be able to retire after 35 years as a postmaster.
Nurmagomedov, who has been mourning the July death of his father and trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, submitted Gaethje midway through the second round of their 155-pound match at the behind-closed-doors Flash Forum.
The Russian wrestler, a renowned ground-game specialist, transitioned from an armbar — which has the potential to break a bone should the opponent refuse to tap — to a triangle choke, which would cause unconsciousness instead, because he did not want Gaethje's parents to see their son in pain.
That's according to Nurmagomedov's long-time friend and training partner Daniel Cormier, a UFC commentator and former UFC two-weight champion.
"He told me when he was watching the interviews over the course of the week, he saw that Justin said he would never tap," Cormier told ESPN MMA.
"So when he was going to the submission, he said it was his dad's favorite position, into the mounted position going into the armbar, going into the triangle.
"So when he got there, he was going to do the armbar. But he had heard Justin say all week that he would never tap and he didn't want to hurt him in front of his parents. So he went to the triangle and just kind of put him to sleep."
Cormier continued: "I promise you. He actually told me that. Where he goes, 'I didn't want to hurt him in front of his parents, so I said I'm going to put him in the triangle. If he goes to sleep, he goes to sleep, you wake up, you're fine.'
"That's exactly what he told me. He didn't want to hurt Justin in front of his parents."
After rendering Gaethje unconscious, Nurmagomedov dropped to his knees and wept in the middle of the Octagon, seemingly mourning the death his father.
When Gaethje had regained his senses, he embraced and consoled Nurmagomedov, telling him he would have made his father proud.
Nurmagomedov has since retired from combat
"This is my last fight," he said. "No way I'm going to come here without my father."
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