Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will crown a new 155-pound titleholder when top contenders Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira collide for the vacant strap at UFC 262.
I think it’s fair to say Nurmagomedov’s biggest rivalry came against former lightweight champion Conor McGregor. “The Eagle” submitted “Notorious” at UFC 229, but we also had the bus attack in Brooklyn, as well as the post-fight butt jump in Las Vegas.
“Happy retirement kid, smell ya later,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “Never forget who came in the game and made ye. Straight from my big Irish balls. Remember folks, if you hate cutting weight so much, all you have to do is move up a division. God bless.”
UFC President Dana White was hoping to halt Nurmagomedov’s retirement to book a second fight with McGregor, but having already disposed of top contenders like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, “The Eagle” believed he had nothing left to prove.
No doubt the promotion will turn its attention to the rubber match between Poirier and McGregor, now that “The Diamond” has evened the score at one apiece. The victor is likely to face the winner of Chandler-Oliveira later this year.