Khabib Nurmagomedov has become the darling of MMA fans across the Internet in the lightweight division. The Russian had won 20 consecutive fights and had yet to taste defeat coming into UFC 165.
Pat Healy was returning from a suspension for testing positive for marijuana and was expected to provide a good barometer of where Nurmagomedov ranked in the division.
After UFC 165, I think we can safely say Nurmagomedov belongs in the top 10.
The former Combat Sambo champion showcased his solid ground game after confusing himself for a striker early in the fight. He was a little wild to start things off but eventually found his groove with the takedowns, including carrying Healy on his shoulder in a move that looked like something out of a Matt Hughes classic.
Now that Nurmagomedov has defeated one of the tougher lightweights in the game, it’s time to give him a Top 10 opponent.