Khabib Nurmagomedov was close to facing Tony Ferguson and Max Holloway -- the former on more than one occasion -- but injuries got in the way, leaving fans to ponder and debate those dream matchups.
However, Nurmagomedov will test the biggest of big-name opponents in the UFC 229 main event on Oct. 6, when he defends his undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight crown against former two-division titleholder Conor McGregor at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ahead of Nurmagomedov’s anticipated showdown with the “Notorious” Irishman, here are some of the numbers that have come to define him:
2: Combat sambo world championships to his name.