December 18 (BBC) – UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov has been voted BBC Sports Personality’s World Sport Star of the Year.
The Russian, 32, extended his perfect professional record to 29 wins with an emotional victory over interim champion Justin Gaethje in October.
The UFC lightweight champion fought just months after the death of his father, coach and mentor Abdulmanap.
Considered by some to be the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time, he retired straighportst after his victory.
Nurmagomedov’s 29-0 record in MMA included 13 straight victories under the UFC banner.
He successfully defended his lightweight title on three occasions, and was seen as one of the most dominant athletes in MMA history.
Topping an online public vote, Nurmagomedov beat off competition from Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, American basketball great LeBron James, American golfer Dustin Johnson, French footballer Wendie Renard, and Irish boxer Katie Taylor.
Last year’s winner was marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, who won the London Marathon for a fourth time and became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in October 2019.
