VIDEO | Khabib Nurmagomedov gets Super Mario-inspired tribute

When you really think about it, watching Khabib Nurmagomedov effortlessly dominate all of his opposition in the cage is not all that different from watching Mario stomp Goombas Piranha Plants in a classic Nintendo game.

Need more proof of the similarities between the Russian UFC champ and the princess-saving Italian plumber? Check out the video below: a Super Mario-inspired tribute to Nurmagomedov from the folks at RT.

The video shows Nurmagomedov working his way to a showdown with his arch rival Conor McGregor, who he ultimately wallops with relative ease — just as he did when they fought in October of 2018.

That said, the video does not include Nurmagomedov’s upcoming showdown with Tony Ferguson. Perhaps that fight will feature in a later instalment of this series. Ferguson could even be the final boss.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently a flawless 28-0 as a professional fighter—easily the most impressive undefeated record in the sport at present. Highlights of his resume include recent victories over top-flight opposition such as Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Al Iaquinta, Edson Barboza, Michael Johnson and Rafael dos Anjos.

Tony Ferguson, on the other hand, will enter his fight with with Nurmagomedov on a 12-fight win-streak, and is widely regarded as the champ’s toughest challenge to date. Highlights of his recent career include decisive victories over the likes of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Kevin Lee, Rafael dos Anjos and Edson Barboza.

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson’s fight will headline the UFC 249 card on April 18 in Brooklyn, New York. While the fight is widely regarded as one of the best in UFC history, fans are understandably measuring their expectations, as the pair have been scheduled to fight a whopping four times previously to no avail.

Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov will squash Tony Ferguson like a Goomba, or will Ferguson provide a challenge more comparable to Bowser?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/24/2019.