Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov before a bout between Merab Dvalishvili (not pictured) fights Umar Nurmagomedov (not pictured) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals The UFC Changes He Would Make If He Ran The Show

From fairer matchmaking to real life simulation, Khabib Nurmagomedov lays out the reforms he believes would elevate the UFC!

Khabib Nurmagomedov has always been a fighter who thinks differently about MMA. Even during his legendary undefeated career, ‘The Eagle’ questioned certain aspects of the sport that others simply accepted as normal. After retiring with a perfect 29-0 record following his emotional victory over Justin Gaethje in 2020, Khabib shifted his attention to coaching and mentoring the next generation of fighters.

The Dagestani legend has maintained strong relationships throughout the MMA world, including with UFC president Dana White. These connections have given him unique insights into how the promotion operates behind the scenes. His transition from active competitor to respected coach has only sharpened his perspective on what works and what doesn’t in modern MMA. Now he’s using that experience to propose some pretty radical changes to how fights should be structured.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Advocates A No-Round Policy For UFC

During a recent appearance on the Hustle Show with Adam Zubayraev, Khabib dropped a bombshell that would fundamentally change how we watch fights. He wants to eliminate rounds completely from MMA competition.

“I’d change the rules. Like, you step into the Octagon. Regular fights are 15 minutes, title fights are 25, right? I’d say no rounds. No rounds at all. I always wondered, what’s the point of rounds? It’s for entertainment, they pause for ads and all of that.I get it. It’s for business. But if we’re talking sport, I’d get rid of rounds, no rounds at all.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov said the UFC should completely get rid of rounds 👀

“Regular fight, 15 minutes. Title fight, 25 minutes. Get rid of rounds. No rounds at all. They just step in and that’s it. What’s the point of rounds?”

(via Hustle Show) pic.twitter.com/KwbnHQGDh2
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) July 27, 2025

His reasoning makes perfect sense when fans really think about it. Nurmagomedov believes the current round system exists purely for entertainment and commercial purposes rather than sporting integrity. The breaks between rounds allow for television advertisements and give fighters artificial recovery time that wouldn’t exist in a real combat situation.

The former lightweight champion acknowledges that basic safety rules would still need to exist. No strikes to the back of the head, no groin shots. Those fundamental protections would remain in place. But the artificial stopping and starting that currently defines MMA fights would disappear entirely. Fighters would enter the octagon and battle continuously until someone wins or the time limit expires.

Joe Rogan Had A Similar View

Interestingly, Nurmagomedov’s vision aligns with ideas that UFC commentator Joe Rogan has floated over the years. Rogan once suggested starting each new round where the previous one ended, which would particularly benefit grapplers who work hard to establish dominant positions. The famous commentator later evolved his thinking after discussions with UFC legend Royce Gracie, eventually supporting the complete elimination of rounds, exactly what Khabib now proposes.

This isn’t entirely unprecedented in combat sports history either. Early UFC events featured much longer, more continuous fights before the modern round system was adopted. Some regional promotions and special events have experimented with different time structures over the years. The idea has legitimate sporting merit, especially considering how current rounds can artificially reset momentum and positioning. It’s a fascinating concept that could revolutionize mixed martial arts if anyone had the courage to actually implement it.

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Joe Rogan

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!