Dana White Gives Up On Khabib Comeback: ‘I’ve Abandoned All Hope’
Dana White has admitted defeat in his bid to convince Khabib Nurmagomedov to return to fighting.
‘The Eagle’ retired from MMA in the immediate aftermath of his second-round submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020.
White wasn’t prepared to let Nurmagomedov walk away without a fight. The UFC president was convinced the undefeated 32-year-old still had plenty to offer and tried to woo him over the next several months.
In March, Nurmagomedov solidified his retirement by relinquishing his lightweight title and withdrawing from the USADA testing pool.
White recently told TMZ Sports that he’d given up hope of ever convincing Nurmagomedov to fight again
“I’ve abandoned all hope, so you should too,” White said. “[Khabib’s] done. Believe me, I threw the kitchen sink at this kid, tried to get him to stick around and I think he’s done.”
Nurmagomedov has seamlessly pivoted into a coaching role since calling it a career. White thinks that will keep him busy and satisfy his appetite for competition.
“I think he’s sliding into this coach’s role,” White said. “You know, he went undefeated in his career and retired undefeated, and now he’s undefeated as a coach too. So, the guy has had nothing but success, he continues to be successful, and I think he’s moving on to that next chapter of his life.”
Do you agree with Dana White? Is Khabib Nuramgomedov totally done with fighting?
