Khabib Nurmagomedov ended his career in 2020, but he is still being questioned if he plans to return to the octagon. The Russian, one of the all-time greats at lightweight, rejected any possibility of returning to the world of Mixed Martial Arts and assured that he doesn't feel the need to fight.
"Honestly, no. When I feel the lack of feeling again, I go to the gym and train. I spend my energy there. But to go back to the octagon, no. My whole life was in my hands, not inside my heart. It was never inside my heart," he revealed on The Muslim Money Guys podcast.
"Of course I love it, you have to love what you're doing. I was a big sports fan because my goal was to become the best, to become a champion as it should be. But when I decided to finish, I finished," Khabib said.
In fact, Khabib is currently training his pupils, with whom he already has several achievements in this new facet. This Saturday Islam Makhachev will fight for the lightweight belt and will face Charles Oliveira in the UFC 280 main event. Khabib considers "The Eagle" to be his successor.
"Nothing (he said about a possible return if Charles Oliveira won). Leave this sport alone. There's always going to be some champion without my name too. It's going to be Charles, it's going to be Islam or another name after Islam because he won't be there all his life," he concluded.
Who is Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Russian Mixed Martial Arts icon and recent inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame. Khabib retired after defeating Justin Gaethje by submission, in the bout that unified the lightweight belt at UFC 254, leaving the mode undefeated, in his 29 fights as a professional.
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