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Khabib Nurmagomedov has been named the most successful Russian athlete of 2019.
Undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has been named the most successful Russian athlete of the year, per media outlet Forbes.
Nurmagomedov, who surpassed the likes of Maria Sharapova and Olga Buzova, has an estimated net worth of $11.5 million and is considered one of the most dominant fighters in mixed martial arts, ranked as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, just one spot below American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) teammate and current UFC heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier.
Nurmagomedov, who boasts a perfect record of 27-0, gained notoriety with his submission win over former two-division champ Conor McGregor at UFC 229. ‘The Eagle’ submitted ‘The Notorious’ in the fourth round and incited a riot in his post-fight celebration, attacking McGregor’s teammate and friend, Dillon Danis, in the stands.
After recently serving a nine-month suspension handed out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Nurmagomedov is expected to defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242. The pay-per-view extravaganza is scheduled to take place later this this year, September 7 at du Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.