Stephen Thompson Doesn’t Think ‘MMA Royalty’ Khabib Nurmagomedov Needs To Fight Again
Stephen Thompson doesn’t see the need for lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to compete again.
Nurmagomedov returning to action has been on and off as while UFC president Dana White recently claimed he could return for one more fight if a lightweight contender were to impress him, the Dagestan native contradicted those comments by stating that fighting was not a part of his plans at the moment.
“My mother is the most precious thing I have left,” Nurmagomedov said recently. “Come on, you won’t push me to do things that will disappoint my mother.
“… I don’t even have any plans for the UFC in the near future. I don’t even have thoughts about preparing for the fight. I saw how Umar [Nurmagomedov] was preparing now and I think: Alhamdulillah I have left it behind.”
While most in the combat sports world would prefer to see “The Eagle” compete again, Thompson told James Lynch in a recent interview that believes it wouldn’t make sense for him to do so.
“No, no. Not at all,” Thompson said when asked if he thinks Nurmagomedov will fight again (via BJ Penn). “Khabib has made it where he’s like Conor McGregor status, to be honest with you.
“He’s up there. He’s the elite of the elite. He’s MMA royalty and for him to go fight somebody like (Dan) Hooker or any of those guys, it just doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense.”
That said, there is only one fight “Wonderboy” sees Nurmagomedov coming back for and that’s a lucrative rematch with Conor McGregor.
“The only way I would see him if he does come back would be a Conor fight,” Thompson added. “It would have to be a Conor fight. There is so much bad blood there that it’s not going to happen.
“I don’t think Khabib would give him that. I think Conor wants it. I think that would be a huge money fight, but I don’t think Khabib gives it to him. With that said, I don’t see him coming back. There’s no need for it. There’s nothing. Why?”
Thompson certainly brings up some good points.
Do you agree with Thompson?
