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“Even if they gave me 5 billion dollar – even if they give me UFC (ownership)- I’ll never do this.”
UFC president Dana White is blaming Conor McGregor for ruining plans to relaunch The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), but it seems Khabib Nurmagomedov was never interested in the idea in the first place.
White revealed that he was looking to resurrect TUF with a brand new series featuring McGregor and Nurmagomedov as coaches, but Khabib is adamant that he would never accept the offer.
The reigning, undefeated UFC lightweight champion told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that he wouldn’t coach TUF opposite McGregor even if the UFC offered him $5 billion.
“‘The Ultimate Fighter’ with him is good attention for him,” Nurmagomedov said. “I don’t want to give him this. I never give him this. Even if they give me $5 billion — even if they gave me the UFC — I never do this. This is good attention for him.
“It’s done. Everything is done Oct. 6, 2018 [the day Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor at UFC 229]. I finish him. I finish everything about him.”
The UFC is desperate to book a rematch between Khabib and McGregor — for obvious reasons — but, for now, Nurmagomedov is focused on other challenges.
“I had new challenge in Dustin Poirier [in 2019] and now Justin Gaethje,” he said. “We’ll see who it’s going to be next, but I don’t think it’s going to be Conor McGregor.”
Nurmagomedov will defend his title against surging lightweight contender and feared knockout artist Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 on Oct. 24 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.