Sep 7, 2019; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) against Davi Ramos (not pictured) during UFC 242 at The Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals When Islam Makhachev Will Walk Away, And It’s Sooner Than Fans Might Have Expected

Sep 7, 2019; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) against Davi Ramos (not pictured) during UFC 242 at The Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Khabib Nurmagomedov shocked the MMA world when he retired at 29-0. The undefeated lightweight champion walked away from millions of dollars and massive fights that fans desperately wanted to see. Many called him crazy for leaving his prime behind. But ‘The Eagle’ had promised his mother he would stop fighting after losing his father to Covid-19, and he kept that promise despite enormous pressure from the UFC and fans worldwide.

Since hanging up his gloves, the undefeated legend has become the unofficial counselor and coach for his team and he constantly preaches about leaving the sport before it leaves you. Now he’s applying that same philosophy to his protege Islam Makhachev. The former lightweight kingpin might have fewer fights left than anyone realizes, and ‘The Eagle’ just dropped some serious truth bombs about his teammate’s future.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Talks About Islam Makhachev’s Future In The Sport

Nurmagomedov recently laid out his honest timeline for Makhachev’s career during an interview with Ushatayka. His assessment was brutally direct and mathematically precise. Makhachev turns 34 in October, which means Nurmagomedov sees roughly two years left in the tank.

“Islam maybe, my honest opinion, one and a half, two years because [his] age [in] October is going to be 34. Nobody is going to be [the] same. When time comes, they don’t ask what’s your name… When you become 35, you need to stop doing this because [you should] leave this sport for young guys…It’s better to finish. After 35, you’re never going to be the same. People can talk whatever they want, when you’re past your prime, you [are] going to fight only for money.”

Khabib believes Islam Makhachev has 1–2 years left in the sport 👀😲

During a press conference, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke about the importance of retiring at the right time, ideally around the age of 35, when a fighter’s prime begins to fade. Pushing beyond that point often… pic.twitter.com/wcSB4vPqjL
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) August 6, 2025

The Dagestani legend didn’t sugarcoat the harsh realities of aging in combat sports. He believes 35 represents the magic number where MMA fighters should call it quits, regardless of how good they still look. His reasoning cuts straight to the bone: stay too long and someone younger and hungrier will finish what ‘Father Time’ started!

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s timeline aligns perfectly with comments from Makhachev’s longtime coach Javier Mendez. The AKA head coach previously suggested that Islam has about three fights remaining in his career. Simple math makes this work out nicely: two years, three fights, then retirement while still at the top. It’s the exact blueprint that Khabib Nurmagomedov followed, minus the family tragedy that accelerated his own exit.

(Image Credit: Per Haljestam – Imagn Images)

Islam Makhachev

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!