Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from the sport right after his emphatic second-round submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. Nurmagomedov stated that he promised his mother that it would be the last time he will ever step inside the Octagon.
However, UFC President and fight fans around the world kept playing with the idea of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s return to the Octagon. While the meeting with Dana White was highly anticipated, the UFC President decided to drop the news about Nurmagomedov’s decision on ABC right before the UFC Fight Night main card featuring Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar.
“My mother is the most precious thing I have left,” he said. “Come on, you won’t push me to do things that will disappoint my mother,” Khabib said about being repeatedly told to reconsider his retirement.
Also Read: Who Is Umar Nurmagomedov?- The Untold Story of Yet Another Dagestani Fighter
“I have left it behind,” he said. “Don’t torment me, let me enjoy what I have for today. And just so you know, I’ve sacrificed a lot to get to this level.” Khabib looked visibly upset about constant reminders of whether he should reconsider the idea of competing inside the Octagon once again.
Khabib Nurmagomedov to reconsider retirement?
However, Nurmagomedov stated that he is not planning to return to the Octagon in the near future. Needless to say, he might possibly return to the Octagon, but it’s sure that it’s not happening anytime soon.
UFC President Dana White has repeatedly stated that Nurmagomedov might come back to pick up the 30th win. However, as things stand today, it looks like Khabib Nurmagomedov may be out of the MMA world for a couple of years. While he is not competing, the “Eagle” has remained an integral part of UFC and was last seen cornering his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Fight Island 8.
With Dana White rubbishing the idea of a possible Georges St-Pierre vs Khabib Nurmagomedov, it’s highly unlikely anything will entice the undisputed lightweight champion with wins over notable names in the history of the sport.
Be that as it may, one should never lose hope because many notable fighters have come out of retirement. The prime example being Conor McGregor, who will take on Dustin Poirier in a rematch for possibly the #1 match for the lightweight championship.
Also Read: Conor McGregor Makes a Huge Claim About Khabib Nurmagomedov Rematch