Dana White reveals latest ploy to entice ex-UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov from retirement
UFC president, Dana White has revealed that his latest plan to encourage former lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov to snap his 2019 retirement from the sport has been rebuffed – as the undefeated Dagestani approaches three years away from the Octagon next month.
Khabib, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the promotion’s banner, made his final Octagon walk in October 2019 atop the promotion’s UFC 254 pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi, UAE – submitting then-interim champion, Justin Gaethje to successfully unify the lightweight belts.
Following the second round win, Khabib Nurmagomedov confirmed his retirement from professional mixed martial arts competition amid the passing of his coach and father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov earlier that year.
In March of the following year, Khabib officially relinquished his undisputed lightweight title, and has since taken a prominent coaching role at home base, American Kickboxing Academy, as well as heading up Florida-based promotion, Eagle FC.
However, in the time since his retirement, Khabib has been unsuccessfully persuaded by both White and promotional brass to reconsider a return to the sport.
Revealing his latest failed plot to land a Khabib return to combat sports, White saw the suggestion of a potential grappling venture rebuffed by the undefeated Sambo specialist.
“Khabib’s (Nurmagomedov) retired,” Dana White said on The Jim Rome Show. “I just reached out to him (Khabib Nurmagomedov) recently to see if he’s interested in something and he’s like, ‘I’m retired, brother, I’m done.’ I don’t think Khabib ever comes back.”
“It was something different, I was trying to get him to do a grappling match,” Dana White continued. “He’s like, ‘I’m done, I’m retired.’ I think that when his father passed away, that was a wrap for him. He’s just focused on training other guys and helpgin them become world champions.” (Transcribed by Mirror)
Khabib Nurmagomedov will return Octagon-side at UFC 280 next month in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Next month in the main event of UFC 280, Khabib’s most high-profile coaching assignment to date comes in the form of a vacant lightweight title fight between former division champion, Charles Oliveira, and his protégé, Islam Makhachev.
