UFC icon, Khabib Nurmagomedov crowned as BBC World Sport Star of the Year ahead of LeBron James

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been named the BBC’s World Sport Star of the Year.

The former Russian UFC star, 32, saw off competition from pole-vaulter Armand Duplantis, basketballer LeBron James, golfer Dustin Johnson, footballer Wendie Renard and boxer Katie Taylor to scoop the award.

Nurmagomedov fought just once in 2020 against Justin Gaethje in October to retain his lightweight title and extend his unbeaten record to 29-0. He then retired as the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time having promised his mother he would not fight on without his father who passed away earlier this year.

Last year’s winner was marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, who won the London Marathon for the fourth time and became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in October 2019.