Khabib Nurmagomedov discusses career he wanted before becoming a fighter

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed the career that he desired prior to becoming a professional fighter.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts. He retired from the sport with an unbeaten 29-0 record, leaving while he was sat at the top of the mountain. Ever since then, fans have been hoping to see him come back for one more fight – but he never has. Instead, he’s focused on other ventures, including training the next generation of fighters from his gym.

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Khabib has always been a fascinating fighter to study both in and out of the cage, and following his iconic win over Conor McGregor, he reached a level of superstardom that few could have imagined was possible. As it turns out, though, MMA wasn’t his first love.

In a recent interview, Khabib revealed that his love for football (soccer) came ahead of fighting back in the day.

Khabib reveals soccer dream from his younger days

“I was watching football (soccer) all my life and I really love the sport, and for me, that sport is still number one,” Khabib said at the World Sports Summit.

“When I was young, my dream was to become a football player, and after, I accidentally became a fighter, sometimes this happens, you know? Where I was born, where I grew up and my father was a coach, I’m joking with accidentally I became a fighter but in my heart, it was always football,” he continued.

Quotes via Bloody Elbow

What is your favorite memory from the mixed martial arts career of Khabib Nurmagomedov? Does he deserve a place in the greatest of all time conversation? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!