Anniversary: Khabib defeated Iaquinta to become first Russian UFC champion

Exactly eight years ago at UFC 223, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Al Iaquinta to become the first UFC champion from Russia. The anniversary marks a pivotal date for Russian MMA, representing a breakthrough moment when a Russian fighter first captured UFC gold. The post reflects on how quickly time has passed since that historic achievement. The victory opened doors for subsequent Russian fighters in the UFC and remains a celebrated milestone in the sport's history.