MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. Reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia has said he just had his last UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fight.

"It was my last fight here," Nurmagomedov said after he defeated Justin Gaethje of the United States on Saturday submitting him early in the second round, and retained his lightweight title for the third time. "When UFC called me about Justin I talked with my mother. She doesn’t know how I fight without father, but I promised it’s going to be my last fight, and if I give my word, I have to follow it," he added.

The fight was the first for Nurmagomedov after the death of his father and lifelong coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov who passed away on July 3 due to COVID-19-related complications.

"I know only one thing what I want from UFC on Tuesday - you have to put me on number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world because I deserve it," the Russian fighter said.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, hailing from Russia’s North Caucasus Region of Dagestan, was the first Russian to win the UFC champion title during the fight against his US opponent Al Iaquinta in the spring of 2018. At the UFC 229 tournament in Las Vegas in October 2018, Nurmagomedov defended his champion’s title in the fight against Conor McGregor, a renowned Irish professional mixed martial arts fighter and boxer. In early September last year, Nurmagomedov defended his UFC champion’s belt for the second time in a title unification bout against Dustin Poirier of the United States.

The 32-year-old Russian fighter, nicknamed ‘The Eagle,’ currently holds an unblemished record of 29 wins in all of his mixed martial arts fights.