Kevin Durant caused quite a stir among fans when he openly declared Khabib Nurmagomedov as his favorite athlete. This revelation came as a surprise, considering Durant’s previous social connections with Conor McGregor.
The Conor-Khabib rivalry is well-known across the MMA community. As a result, this surprise decision sparked a lot of responses from passionate fans on social media.
Earlier this year, Durant and McGregor were spotted enjoying a night out together. While Durant’s association with McGregor might suggest a strong affinity, it’s crucial to remember that personal friendships don’t always translate into fandom.
This is especially true for Kevin Durant. He recently revealed his favorite athlete to follow on social media during an interview. And that was Khabib Nurmagomedov himself.
Durant’s choice naturally triggered curiosity, particularly in light of his apparent friendship with McGregor and the latter’s active presence on social media. Fans were left wondering about the dynamics between McGregor and the NBA star and what led Durant to favor Khabib.
It’s plausible that Durant’s admiration for Khabib stems from the former UFC champion’s exceptional sportsmanship, unparalleled skills, and unwavering commitment to the sport.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a former UFC champion, who retired from his professional career with an unblemished record. His reign in the UFC as the lightweight champion earned him widespread acclaim. Khabib retired with a flawless record of 29 wins and 0 losses, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
Netizens couldn’t contain their reactions when Kevin Durant publicly hailed Khabib Nurmagomedov as his favorite athlete. The MMA community was abuzz with discussions and debates surrounding this unexpected revelation.
Here are some of the notable reactions from X:
“Never would’ve guessed”
“This guy knows his facts 😂. Kevin Durant knows Khabib is the richest and strongest fighter of all time 👏🏻”
“Makes sense, they both destroyed their legacies by hand picking opponents and taking the easy route”
“The question was to follow on social media. Still cool though never would’ve guessed KD liked Khabib or even MMA in general.”
Recently, Khabib Nurmagomedov bid farewell to the combat sports arena and coaching, choosing to shift his focus towards other facets of his life.
However, rumors have been circulating about a potential return. Khabib may have considered coaching Islam Makhachev in his highly anticipated face-off against Charles Oliveira at UFC 294.