While Dana White left the door open for a Khabib
Nurmagomedov comeback for months, the former UFC lightweight
champion never truly considered it to be an option.
Nurmagomedov announced his retirement after defeating Justin
Gaethje at UFC 254, but White continued to insist that he could
lure the Dagestani grappler back into the Octagon. After their most
recent meeting, however, White and the UFC
made it official: Nurmagomedov was not coming back.
For most observers, the writing had been on the wall for some time.
Nurmagomedov admitted that the recent announcement only confirmed
what he had known for months.
“Dana called this official, but I retired like four, six months
ago,” Nurmagomedov said on ESPN Saturday night. “It’s very funny:
Dana told me when he posted that someone commented saying, ‘Hey, he
retired not today, he retired about five months ago,’ and I was
like it’s funny. We had some conversations with Dana a couple of
times and like two days ago we meet with him to talk like two real
men. We had a very good conversation with them, good dinner, and I
really appreciated him not only for me, but all the sport.”
When Nurmagomedov made his announcement, he cited a promise he made
to his mother following the death of his father and coach,
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, last year. While there are lucrative
possibilities that exist — including a rematch with Conor
McGregor — if he continues fighting, Nurmagomedov isn’t
concerned with padding his bank account.
“It’s very hard when you have power, when you’re the best in the
world, when you’re famous, have money and say to everything like
this, ‘No,’” Nurmagomedov said. “It’s very hard. People maybe will
never understand me, but I really hope they’re going to support my
decision because everyone has their views.
“My view and my relationship with my mother, I feel like I have to
stop because I feel like in every fight, every training camp, this
takes some age away from my mother. And it’s like what do I have to
do? I came to this sport to show who I am and became the best, I’m
world champion, and pound-for-pound No. 1. I defended my title
three times. I defended my title in biggest fight of UFC history.
What else? Only money-fights, but I don’t need money.”
As far as the future, Nurmagomedov will focus on family and the
fighting careers of his teammates.
“I have some business projects, I’m going to enjoy with my wife, I
have kids, and I have my brothers – they’re still fighting in the
UFC, so I’m going to support them,” he said.