UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes Khabib Nurmagomedov "showed respect" to Justin Gaethje in comparison to his submission victory over bitter rival Conor McGregor.
Gaethje's first title challenge came against Nurmagomedov in 2020, where the Russian star choked out Gaethje in the second round before announcing his retirement. Two years prior, Nurmagomedov came head-to-head with bitter rival McGregor whom he choked out in the fourth round, sparking a chaotic brawl between the pair's respective teams.
Rogan has claimed that Nurmagomedov "beat the f***" out of McGregor during his submission attempt which showed the respectful bond between the Russian and Gaethje. "Khabib chooses to smash you, he smashes people," Rogan said on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. "If you look at the Justin Gaethje fight, he also submitted Gaethje. They do like each other.
