Khabib "the Eagle" Nurmagomedov has defeated Justin "the Highlight" Gaethje to retain his UFC Lightweight championship and undefeated record, stating afterwards that it was his last fight.

The fight headlined the UFC 254 card in Abu Dhabi on October 25.

Nurmagomedov pressured Gaethje from the outset, landing a stiff jab and corralling him to the fence. Gaethje landed some leg kicks but his striking was compromised by the distraction of the extreme takedown threat.

Towards the end of the first round, Khabib secured a takedown, climbing to mount position before sitting into an armbar position where he stayed until the round end.

In round two, Khabib wasted no time, dragging Gaethje to the mat and securing mount position within 90 seconds. From there, he looked for an arm triangle before transitioning to a mounted triangle.

Gaethje tried to shake him off but the choke was in tight. The referee missed the tap and Gaethje went to sleep.

The victory moves Nurmagomedov to 29-0 in professional MMA and 13-0 in the UFC. After the fight he was emotional, understandable given the loss of his father Abdulmanap this year.

As Jon Anik was interviewing him, Khabib removed his gloves and left them on the Octagon floor, a tradition of fighters retiring from the sport. He confirmed as much to Anik, stating that he promised his mother that this would be his last fight and that he is a man of his word.

A lot of fighters retire and then change their mind to return once the fire has re-ignited within them. It seems unlikely that Khabib will follow this path, instead retiring as arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of the sport.