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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SEPTEMBER 8, 2019: UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at a news conference after defending his title in a bout against interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier at the UFC 242 mixed martial arts tournament. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SEPTEMBER 8, 2019: UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at a news conference after defending his title in a bout against interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier at the UFC 242 mixed martial arts tournament. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)
Khabib Nurmagomedov sat down at a conference event in London, England, and addressed a crowd full of fans and media members. Nurmagomedov made headlines across the week during his trip and fans have latched on to many insights from his aforementioned sitdown presser. Nurmagomedov answered questions about his career, future in the sport as well as questions on his rival, Conor McGregor.
However, fans were most inquisitive to know if Khabib Nurmagomedov would ever return to the UFC’s octagon. The MMA community would love to see him reach 30-0 and continue his reign of dominance at lightweight. However, Nurmagomedov shut down the idea for the most part and he seems to have made up his mind.
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA SEPTEMBER 2, 2021: Mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov speaks at the 2nd New Knowledge educational marathon (forum). The New Knowledge Forum runs from 1 to 3 September 2021 as a new school year begins in Russia. Artyom Geodakyan/TASS (Photo by Artyom GeodakyanTASS via Getty Images)
“No, I don’t think so. Lotta people say ‘Oh Khabib only say he fight for legacy but what about money. When Dana White like all this year he try to bring me back, it was like a couple month ago he tell me, Ali told me, my manager. Dana sent him message and he say ‘why Khabib never ask how much money I’m going to pay him.”
“Ali told him, ‘Because you don’t know him, that why if you really know him you never going to try to bring him back because if he says he’s finished, he’s finished. I don’t think something can bring me back to the octagon.”
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Dana White couldn’t convince ‘The Eagle’ to return
A large portion of late 2020 and early 2021 was spent trying to get Nurmagomedov to rethink his decision to retire. UFC President Dana White had several sit-down meetings with the consensus GOAT where different offers were pitched.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 04: UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov speaks to UFC president Dana White during the UFC 229 Press Conference inside The Park Theater at Park MGM on October 4, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
However, from Nurmagomedov’s aforementioned statements, it’s clear that money was never going to be the deciding factor. ‘The Eagle’ made a pledge to his mother that he would no longer compete after the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. In keeping with the promise, he announced his retirement in October 2020.
It’s been nearly a year since the Russian mauler decided to step away and things have shown no signs of changing. However, a certain section of the fanbase will hold out hope to see Nurmagomedov compete again.
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