Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals Why He Does Not Want to Fight Georges St-Pierre at Welterweight

Published 02/17/2021, 4:42 PM EST

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has no plans of fighting in any other weight class, even if it brings the opportunity to fight Georges St-Pierre. Following his retirement, the question of a fight between GSP and the Russian has been as hot as ever. However, Nurmagomedov has stamped his condition on the potential fight – it would not be at 170-pounds.

Talking to the media during the Eagle FC 33 media scrum in Moscow, ‘The Eagle’ detailed his reason for refusing to move up a weight class. He reasoned that his body weight is as such that it fits correctly in the lightweight frame. Therefore, fighting the greatest welterweight of all time in GSP when Khabib has been a lightweight in his career doesn’t make the most sense.

“I won’t fight at 170. That’s for sure. It’s not my natural weight. When I’m in shape, my weight is around 180. To cut down to 170 and then weigh in around 176 on fight night against the best fighter of the weight class in the history of the sport?” Khabib said (via RT Sport MMA).

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Khabib Nurmagomedov and his Karate analogy

Nurmagomedov then compared his situation to a fight with a stand-up fighter by saying, “You know it reminds me of my childhood when you’re fighting a Karate guy, taking him down and he’s like: ‘Hey, let’s stand up and fight like men!‘. ‘But we started the fight on the feet!’ – you know what I’m talking about?”

He ended the conversation by adding, “I am a lightweight champion, and if there is an interesting option for me, I’d like it to materialize at lightweight. So, I’m not fighting St. Pierre at 170. No.”

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Khabib fought interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in his last fight. He submitted Gaethje in the second round, and ever since then, rumors of a fight against Georges St. Pierre or Conor McGregor are doing the rounds. Khabib, however, announced his retirement after the fight, and while it didn’t stop the rumors, there were serious questions about him coming back.

While UFC supremo Dana White seems adamant about bringing Nurmagomedov back, the undefeated fighter seems to be slowly drifting away from his life as a fighter.

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Do you think that Khabib and GSP should fight at a catchweight?

“Just Come to Wish You the Best of Luck”- When Georges St-Pierre Met Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Written by:

Aniket Awasthi is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. This STEM undergraduate combines an insatiable urge to write with his admiration for MMA and the UFC in general to enhance his journalism. He calls charismatic names like Chael Sonnen and 'The Count' Michael Bisping as his favorite fighters, but he is a great admirer of the rise of Israel Adesanya ever since he fought Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals Why He Does Not Want to Fight Georges St-Pierre at Welterweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov and his Karate analogy

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