K. Nurmagomedov and R. dos Anjos faced each other in 2014, with the Russian winning by the judges' decision. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Back at lightweight (up to 70,3kg.), after appearing in recent years at welterweight (up to 77kg.), Rafael dos Anjos remains willing to face the best opponents available in the UFC. Recently, the Brazilian used a video to provoke the current leader of the group up to 70,3kg., Khabib Nurmagomedov, revealing that he made his opponent snort when he used a guillotine in 2014.
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“Khabib said he's not interested in facing Conor (McGregor) or Dustin (Poirier) because he hanged them both. He didn't hang me. On the contrary, I made him snore, until a loose rib saved him from sleeping. He defeated me fairly, but no one came so close to beating the champion”, wrote the Niteroi native, in his account on Instagram.
Dos Anjos then revealed that his initial idea of returning to lightweight – a category he led between 2015 and 2016 – posed a great challenge to Khabib. Before, however, the fighter would like to have faced Islam makhachev, who was the rival chosen to face the Brazilian in his return to the group. Considered by many to be Nurmagomedov's successor, Makhachev ended up leaving the confrontation and giving way to Paul felder, which ended up being beaten by Rafael, in November.
“My plan was to beat his brother (Islam, who is Khabib's training partner) and come back for his neck again. The plan failed for some reasons that were beyond my control, but I will continue sharpening my tools, in case he (Khabib) should come back and choose me”, he concluded.
Even though he remains at the top of the lightweight division and the pound-for-pound division, Nurmagomedov remains officially retired from MMA. The Russian hung up his gloves after defeating Justin gaethje, in October, and unify the category belt.
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