Video and photo of the fight
On January 20, 2012, a new history of modern MMA was written. The first person for a long time, who entered the octagon from Russia, became Habib Nurmagomedov, a twenty-three year old.
In the debut of the Eagle experienced and strong fighter, veteran WEC Kamal Shalorus, was waiting for him.
The course of the match:
Mario Yamasaki is the referee of the fight and the man whom Habib had seen only on record of battles on the Internet and discs. And on this day he is the third person in a cage with Eagle.
The battle began with a traditional touch of gloves and intelligence. After 30 seconds, Shaloruss pushes Habib to the net with pressure and throws a powerful and double hook from the left. Habib is covered up and comes close to the rival closely in an attempt to conduct a takedown. Kamal quickly rises to his feet, but continues to fight in the rack, not breaking the grip. Habib is like a rival and does not want to let go, but experience affects, and Shalorus escapes. Habib tries not to give the advantage, but the periodic change of the rack takes Khabib by surprise and he is forced to retreat. During one such retreat, Shalorus presses the Eagle to the net, and then throws a blow to the body and overtakes the overhead. Habib, not having a space behind, dives into the legs, forcing Shalorosa to make a powerful sliced and open the top floor. In this dynamic, as Shalorus bounces off the aisle and climbs into the rack, Habib catches Kamal's chin and sends him down. Habib, seeing how Shalorus falls, rushes to the finish. At the first attempt to get up, Habib pushes Sholorus off and he again falls to the canvas, showing that he is still shocked. Miraculously, under a hail of blows, Shalorous manages to avoid stopping the fight. The ending of the round was also left for Habib due to his pressure. An excellent first round for a young fighter from Russia.
I felt that the UFC was on a completely different level than the organizations where I spoke. But I was confident in my abilities and did not doubt that I would win. The first couple of minutes it was hard to recover, but then I sent him down, completely controlled the fight and finished ahead of schedule.
Habib began the second round on the courage. Confidently taking the first round, Habib tried to develop success in the second. Already after 40 seconds, after he began to dominate the stalls, taking a more advantageous position. In the middle of the first round, referee Mario Yamasaki raised the athletes in the rack. But after a while, Habib again successfully conducted a takedown attempt. Already in the debut match, the public and all MMA analysts paid attention to his excellent parterre skills for his age. The second round was again after Habib.
The exhausted Shalorus and cheerfully looking Habib began to start the round in the rack. For the first minute the fighters exchanged both threats of blows and their execution. And already, a minute later, Habib conducted the first attempt of the takedown in the third round. But she looked unconvincing, and probably wore intelligence. And the next attempt was already successful. Habib threw the opponent to the ground, but allowed to grab his neck. But the capture was not dense and Habib easily got out. A couple of powerful punches and Shalorus began to feel uncomfortable in the stalls. Attempts to change the position led him into a dead end, his tight and ruthless under the oppression of the nerves of the debut capture did not misfire. Shalorus was forced to capitulate. The first victory of the Eagle, significant for the entire Russian MMA. This was the first application.