Khabib Rules Out A UFC Return – ‘There Is No Chance, We Have Islam’
Fans have become disappointed by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s revelation that he will not return to the UFC.
Khabib became one of the best fighters in the UFC, having retired with a 29-0 record. He walked away from the sport as the Undisputed Lightweight Champion. He secured major victories against Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier. The Gaethje fight would be his last as he retired on top of the sport. Nurmagomedov walked away from the sport following the passing of his father. He promised his mother that he would not fight again despite big money on the table.
The Russian was reportedly offered a McGregor rematch, which would have earned him more than his previous purses. He defeated the Irishman at UFC 229, setting a PPV view record of 2.4 million buys. There were reports that Khabib could have made a return at UFC 300. But those were immediately shut down. Nurmagomedov was also linked with another return after suggestions that he was having financial trouble.
Khabib’s Issues
Reports indicated that the former UFC fighter had not paid all his taxes to the Russian government due to irregular paperwork that had been filed. There were suggestions that Khabib would have to sell off his car collection and his house in Dagestan. That increased the narrative that Nurmagomedov could return to the sport.
However, the Russian fighter has since resolved those disputes as his future lies elsewhere. He was in the corner for Islam Makhachev when he defended his UFC Lightweight Title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Makhachev won the fight via a fifth-round submission, solidifying his claim as one of the best P4P fighters in the world. While McGregor continues to fire verbal shots at Khabib, he has made it clear that he will not fight again.
Khabib’s Return
“There is no chance. Not even one percent [chance], minus [percentage]. If you guys need champions, I’m helping my brothers to become champions. We have Islam, champion. We have Umar, next contender. [And] we have Usman champion [in Bellator]. We have a lot of champions. You guys [are] never going to miss me because in our team, in our gym, we create champions. You guys [are] going to [always have] champion [from our team], don’t worry about this,” Khabib said
However, his legacy continues. Former US President Donald Trump was asked about his favorite fighter. He named Khabib, praising him after their interaction at UFC 302. Khabib urged Trump to end the Israel-Palestine war, as the ex-President would then refer to him as the GOAT. That sentiment has continued, and MMA fans are lamenting that they will not see Khabib again.
“Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired after a RECORD of 29-0, never having lost even a single round, is probably the Greatest Fighter of All Time. I met him at the UFC event on Saturday night in New Jersey. A really smart guy – Big things in the future for Khabib,” Trump stated
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