Two Legends of Abdulmanap’s School: The Records Achieved by Xabib and Islom

The school founded by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov gave UFC history not one, but two great champions. While Xabib Nurmagomedov left the octagon without ever knowing defeat, Islom Maxachev not only continued his mentor’s legacy but has also managed to surpass him in certain statistics.

One figure alone is enough for comparison: Islom has 7 victories in title fights, while Xabib has 4.

Two champions from the same nest

Xabib and Islom’s paths did not cross by chance.

Both grew up in the Dagestani wrestling school shaped by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Strict discipline, elite grappling, physical conditioning and the ability to stick to the game plan even under pressure later became the two athletes’ main weapons in the UFC.

That is why, after Xabib ended his career, the attention of many turned to Islom.

There was one question:

Could he reach the heights left behind by Xabib?

Today, that question itself is becoming outdated. The discussion has changed: in which statistics, and by how much, will Islom surpass his mentor’s most famous student?

Xabib — a history that ended undefeated

Xabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy is above all associated with his perfect professional record.

He ended his career undefeated and dominated the UFC lightweight division for a long time.

During his championship reign, fights against elite opponents such as Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje attracted the attention of the entire MMA world.

Xabib’s greatest strength was that his opponents almost always knew how he would fight — yet stopping him was still extremely difficult.

Islom, meanwhile, is not stopping

Islom Maxachev faced a different task.

He had to take on the pressure of championship competition in the post-Xabib era and turn his own name into an independent legend.

Maxachev continued his winning streak by defeating strong opponents with different styles in title fights. He then took a step toward an even greater goal, reaching the championship summit in a second weight class.

Thus, another representative of Abdulmanap’s school recorded a remarkable achievement in UFC history involving two divisions.

Their numbers: 7 and 4

A widely circulated infographic compares the two athletes’ results in title fights in a very simple way.

• Islom Maxachev — 7 victories.

• Xabib Nurmagomedov — 4 victories.

This figure shows just how much ground Islom has covered as a champion.

However, there is an important point to consider in this comparison: Xabib ended his career relatively early. If he had remained in the octagon for several more years, the number of his title fights could also have increased significantly.

Therefore, judging these two careers solely by numbers does not provide the full picture.

Islom’s advantage — a longer championship journey

Xabib’s story is the story of a career completed perfectly.

Islom’s, meanwhile, is still being written.

This may be the biggest difference between them.

Xabib left with a 29:0 record and accomplished something very few athletes manage to do — he stopped while standing at the top.

Islom continues to pursue new records. The number of his title fights and his overall winning streak are both continuing to grow.

Perhaps this was Abdulmanap’s greatest victory

When Xabib and Islom are discussed, championship belts, records and major fights take center stage.

But there is another name behind their stories — Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

He did not train just one champion.

He created such a system and school that after the first great champion departed, another elite athlete took his place.

After Xabib left the octagon, the history of this school did not end.

On the contrary, Islom took it to a new level.

Xabib or Islom — who is greater?

For now, it is difficult to answer this question with a single figure.

Xabib has an undefeated 29:0 career, enormous influence and historic fights.

Islom has more title fights, a longer winning streak and achievements such as reaching the top in two weight classes.

However, rather than pitting them against each other, they can also be viewed as two eras of one great sporting school.

The first fledgling from Abdulmanap’s nest flew away undefeated. The second is still flapping his wings — and no one yet knows where his limits lie.

Do you think that by the end of his career, Islom Maxachev can leave an even greater legacy than Xabib Nurmagomedov? Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with your acquaintances via Telegram or other social networks.