Following a spectacular knockout of his protégé in Dubai, Khabib Nurmagomedov, despite rushing to his fighter`s aid, took a moment to send a message to his long-time friend, Anthony Pettis, through his younger brother, Sergio Pettis.
The stunning finish occurred at the Coca-Cola Arena where Sergio Pettis, sibling to former UFC featherweight champion Anthony Pettis, landed a perfectly timed spinning backfist, instantly knocking out Nurmagomedov’s student, Magomed Magomedov.
Even as the legendary lightweight coach hastened to attend to his unconscious fighter, he paused to share a brief, significant exchange with Sergio Pettis and his coach, Duke Roufus. Khabib had encountered Roufus several times during his own illustrious fighting career.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Delivers Message to Anthony Pettis After Brutal Knockout
For the first two rounds, Magomed Magomedov had dominated the bout, applying relentless pressure and coming close to securing multiple submissions. However, the tide dramatically turned when Sergio Pettis unleashed a precise spinning backfist that rendered the Russian fighter unconscious in an instant. Doctors and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov immediately converged to assist the fallen athlete.
Though Magomedov was eventually able to leave the cage with assistance, Nurmagomedov, before departing, made sure to share a quick word with Sergio Pettis and Duke Roufus. During this brief interaction, he specifically requested Sergio to convey a message to his renowned older brother, Anthony Pettis.
Recounting the interaction to Bloody Elbow after the fight, Sergio Pettis shared his experience: “He just said ‘good job, man. Good job on the fight and tell your brother I said hello.’ Khabib is a great guy and a great athlete, it’s crazy to see him not in a corner.”
Pettis further added, “I’m a big fan of his so I was starstruck a little bit. But I had to go out there and represent the Pettis last name.”
Neville Whittle