A lot of people have dubbed Khabib Nurmagomedov the best mixed martial artist to ever come from Russia. However this has apparently been taken up a notch, as he was recently voted the best athlete in the country, period.
Most people have an incredible amount of respect for Khabib, simply for the dominance and skill that he has displayed inside the Octagon over the course of his 29 pro fights. The Dagestani lightweight champion has received numerous awards and honors over the years, and is easily the most popular athlete in the region. As much as fighting and beating Conor McGregor may have boosted his profile in the United States, he has been a huge star in the eastern hemisphere of the planet for years before that. It has even gotten to the point where he was awarded BBC’s World Sports Star Award for 2020.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov Is The Best Athlete In Russia
This was not the only award that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be on the receiving end of this year. Taking to Instagram, the undefeated fighter revealed that there was a national poll in Russia to determine the best athlete in the country, and he got the most votes. He explained that this was an honor which meant a lot to him, because it shows that he has the respect of the people as a whole.”
“Today VTsIOM (All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center) published the data of the national rating of the best sportsman in Russia!” Khabib wrote.
“It is one thing when you are recognized by experts, trainers, fighters and specialists, and another thing is the recognition of the People.
Thank you for being there ✊️
It would be almost impossible without you.”
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This was clearly a big deal for Khabib Nurmagomedov, perhaps even more than the other awards he has gotten. He seems to be a man of principal, who strives to earn respect from people, so for his fellow Russians to say that he is the best from that region, it must be a massive honor.
