Khabib
Nurmagomedov seems to have a different interpretation of his
recent meeting with Dana White than the UFC president did.
In a recent interview with Russian outlet
Sport24, Nurmagomedov didn’t show much interest in the outcome
of the top two fights on Saturday’s UFC 257 card. White, after
talking with the lightweight champ last week,
suggested that if something spectacular happened in Conor
McGregor vs. Dustin
Poirier or Michael
Chandler vs. Dan Hooker,
Nurmagomedov could be lured back into the Octagon for one more
fight.
“There must be some motivation, some hunger,” Nurmagomedov said via
translated text on the video. “If you’re not hungry, you know, I’ve
been in sports for so many years. I’ve been doing it all my life. I
have achieved almost everything in this sport, and there isn’t
someone who I would like to fight now.
“I know that there are many fighters who would like to earn money,
who strive for something. What should I do? A lot of people don’t
want to understand my side. I don’t see that yet.”
“The Eagle” claims that while he will continue continue to train
out of love for the sport, he is more focused on his business
interests, such as running the Eagle Fighting Championships
promotion.
“If we talk about all my business projects, I have so much to do
that is planned. And fights are not in these plans,” he said. “I
train for myself. The biggest thing that gives me pleasure is
training. I enjoy when I wrestle, run, spar, work on pads, when I
work on the punch bags. This is what I have been doing all my life,
and I will continue to train constantly, as well.
“But if we talk about the fights, they are not a part of my
plans.”
Nurmagomedov didn’t completely rule out a return, but he did hint
that if it happens, it will occur in the distant future — not in
the coming months.
“They constantly discuss, ‘He will come back, he will not come
back,’” Nurmagomedov said. “You know, today we have 2021. A year
ago it was 2020. The same time, January, and so much has happened.
We don’t know what will happen in 2022, 2023, you know, so let’s
not talk about it. No one knows what will happen tomorrow.
“I don’t even have any plans for the UFC in the near future. I
don’t have any thoughts about preparing for the fight.”