UFC 219, The Morning After: Khabib explains what it means for Mike Tyson to watch him fight: ‘Take your dream’

One of the existential questions in life is “What does it all mean?”, a question that lurks just above the existential fear, “Does it all mean anything?”

Everyone answers this question, directly or indirectly, via their actions in life. In its most constructive form, this question underwrites a drive to achieve something, to be able to point to a way that their life made an impact on the world, one that is unique to oneself. Or, to put it in familiar terms, this fear drives one to follow a dream.

Khabib Nurmagomedov had one of his best days yesterday. His son was born, he won his 25th professional fight in a row without a single loss, he finally got his first UFC performance bonus in nine wins, and, to top it off, Mike Tyson was in attendance. It was Khabib’s first fight back in over a year, repeated injuries and weight-cutting troubles keeping him out of an interim title shot against Tony Ferguson. Khabib has suffered far more than his share of injuries over the course of his UFC career, which makes his consistency in the cage all the more special.

For Nurmagomedov, the uncertainty of tomorrow means you must follow your dream.

You know, first time I watch Mike Tyson fight live, this like two thousand third, this was February, I remember this, when he fight with Clifford Ettiene. He knock him out first round, I watch his fight six or five morning, Moscow time, and I was like... I can’t imagine like two thousand third, after fifteen years, fourteen years, I’m gonna fight in Vegas, and I’m gonna show, in the last, biggest event in UFC, I’m gonna show best performance of the night, and Tyson gonna watch my fight. It’s like “dreams come true”. And you never know what happen tomorrow. If you want your dreams come true, you have to follow this. Even you have injury, surgery, everything is come, you have to keep going, keep focused, and take your dream.

Sunday Funday

While we are pondering the dominance that was Khabib vs. Edson Barboza, check out how quickly Khabib is racking up ground strikes. He truly is unprecedented.

Tim Kennedy can’t figure out how a scorecard ended at 30-24.

The Internet is also undefeated.

Edson Barboza did manage to make it a scare fight for Khabib. I’m amazed he still had the energy for not one, but two wheel kicks in the third round.

So ... Is Demetrious Johnson really fighting T.J. Dillashaw next??

This means scores on ²⁄₃ scorecards were tied going into the final round. I disagree strongly on that scoring, but that means Holly Holm was one round away from taking the title from Cris Cyborg.

Al knows. Condit did get money for sacrificing his walkout song, though.

Condit’s return was spoiled by Neil Magny ... and this self-punch!

Louis Smolka finds himself on the opposite end of the spectrum from Khabib tonight -- having lost four straight, and unsure why. He responds with optimism and with the only response that many of us having ... regardless of whether life makes sense, keep moving forward.

Delarosa bit Tim Elliott’s arm. Jason Knight called and he wants his move back.

Elliott almost had this banana split submission in the first round:

Happy New Years, Maniacs!