MMA
Joe Rogan Rekindles Debate Over Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Undefeated Record and Controversial UFC 148 Win
Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters ever to step inside the Octagon. He accomplished the rare feat of retiring undefeated at 29-0, with 13 of those wins coming in the UFC. While legends like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Demetrious Johnson all have at least one blemish on their records, the Dagestani icon walked away from the sport unscathed.
During his reign, Nurmagomedov defeated what many consider the prime versions of three of the best lightweights in UFC history in the form of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. Moreover, he dispatched them in consecutive title defenses and with absolute domination. With a resume like that, questioning his greatness seems almost impossible. Yet, UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently stirred debate by raising questions about the Hall of Famer’s spotless record.
Joe Rogan Believes Khabib Nurmagomedov Lost a Very Close Fight to Gleison Tibau at UFC 148
For those unfamiliar, Nurmagomedov retired at UFC 254 in October 2020, following his third lightweight title defense against Gaethje, at just 32 years old. His decision to step away came in the aftermath of his father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s passing due to COVID-19, with ‘The Eagle’ unwilling to continue competing without him by his side.
The MMA world widely respected Nurmagomedov’s choice to retire undefeated. However, Joe Rogan has recently reignited debate by revisiting one of his most controversial victories, his 2012 decision win over Gleison Tibau at UFC 148.
Although Nurmagomedov walked away with a unanimous decision win in Las Vegas that night, Rogan believes it was a fight the Dagestani should have lost. For context, Tibau managed to stuff all 13 of the Dagestani’s takedown attempts, scored a takedown of his own, and even outstruck the future champion across three rounds.
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Despite this, all three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Nurmagomedov, leaving fans stunned at the time. More than a decade later, the fight remains one of the most debated decisions in MMA history. In October 2024, Rogan revisited the controversy on a podcast with Donald Trump, saying Khabib “might have lost” to Tibau.
He also discussed it earlier in January 2024 during a segment with Sean Brady. And most recently, on the UFC Paris Fight Companion, Rogan doubled down once again.
He said, “I think that’s the one guy that should’ve beat him. If you look at the record, Khabib’s got an undefeated record. There’s an asterisk. That asterisk is Gleison Tibau. That was a very fu***ng close fight that I thought Khabib lost. It was early in Khabib’s career. You know, it was before he won the title.”
Jul. 7, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) against Gleison Tibau during a middleweight bout in UFC 148 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
For reference, this bout was only Nurmagomedov’s second fight in the UFC, which he competed in at just 23 years old. Similar controversies have followed other MMA greats as well. For example, Georges St-Pierre’s ninth welterweight title defense against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 remains infamous, with the majority of media outlets scoring the fight for Hendricks. Even Dana White blasted the judges’ decision in the post-fight press conference.
Likewise, Jon Jones, whom Rogan often refers to as the GOAT, has his own share of debated wins. His classic battle with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 and his controversial unanimous decision victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in 2019, his final fight at 205lbs, both left lingering question marks.
Still, despite the debates around UFC 148, Nurmagomedov’s legacy stands apart, etched in history with a flawless 29-0 record.
