Khabib Nurmagomedov to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Nurmagomedov fans. Speculation had been rife that undefeated UFC lightweight champion will announce his retirement from sports, at age 37, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 25/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouKhabib

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouKhabib was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouKhabib.”
— @DesireePlum, 24 Jul 2026

“Nurmagomedov wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 24 Jul 2026

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