Khabib Nurmagomedov is never coming back.
Whether or not you believe he is the GOAT of MMA, you can’t deny that Nurmagomedov’s run in mixed martial arts was unprecedented. ‘The Eagle’ went an incredible 29-0 in his career, including three lightweight title defenses against three of the division’s biggest names — Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.
In October 2020, Nurmagomedov laid down his gold, announcing that he would be retiring from the sport following the passing of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Nearly four years later, he continues to remain adamant that his days competing in a cage are over despite some pretty lucrative offers coming his way.
Recently, it was reported that he was offered a whopping $40 million to make a return at UFC 300.
Addressing rumors of a comeback at the promotion’s landmark event on April 13, Nurmagomedov revealed that his longtime manager, Ali Abdelaziz, had fielded a call from the UFC, but was quick to shut down any hope that he would strap on the four-ounce gloves ever again.
Khabib says that he didn’t personally get a call from the UFC to fight at #UFC300, but his manager Ali Abdelaziz did.
“I know they connected with Ali, but I told Ali… never call me about a fight.
I decide this, October 2020 was my last fight. I will never change this.”
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 1, 2024
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“I know they connected with Ali, but I told Ali… never call me about a fight,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. They never connect with me directly, but I know some people from the UFC connected with Ali, but I told them already once… I told them a lot of times — all the people that tried to bring me back — that I decided [to retire] in October 2020. It was my last fight and I will never change this.”
Since putting a cap on his own MMA career, Khabib Nurmagomedov has seen his friend and protege Islam Makhachev ascend to the top of the lightweight division, claiming the top prize with a stunning second-round submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280.
Makhachev has defended the title twice, besting former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski in back-to-back bouts, the most recent of which came in October. The ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ is currently in the market for a new dance partner, but it is slim pickings with most of the division’s top dogs already booked elsewhere.