Khabib Nurmagomedov became first Russian UFC champion eight years ago

Exactly eight years ago at UFC 223, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Al Iaquinta to become the first UFC champion from Russia. The post commemorates this historic date for Russian MMA. Khabib's victory marked a watershed moment in the development of mixed martial arts in Russia and opened doors for future Russian champions. The anniversary highlights how quickly time has passed since that landmark achievement.