Khabib Nurmagomedov Would Like To Fight Georges St-Pierre, Tony Ferguson, Floyd Mayweather, Rejects Conor McGregor And Nate Diaz
Khabib Nurmagomedov is still under suspension for his role at UFC 229 post-fight incident, and NSAC hearing is set for 29th January. But the fans are wondering who’ll “Eagle” fight next. Khabib recently spoke about his intentions on a Submission Radio.
Khabib Nurmagomedov said there were different opinions inside his team about the next potential rival. The undefeated Dagestani is sure he won’t fight Conor McGregor, despite his coach, Javier Mendez, suggests a rematch. (h/t MMAFighting)
“I have a big team . . .and everybody thinks a little bit different,” Khabib said. “If you talk about it, my father thinks different, Javier thinks different, my management thinks different. But when the athletic commission makes a decision, we’re gonna sit with my old team and make a decision what I’m gonna do next. But right now, if you guys ask me, of course he not deserve a title shot rematch, Conor, because he lose, he tapped. It wasn’t a close fight. I dominated him everywhere in every aspect and I beat him. Like a told, I smashed him. Why we need a rematch?”
Nate Diaz is not an option too. Khabib can’t understand why people think he should waste time on someone who “lost 12 or 11 times”.
“No, I don’t know. Like, people forgot about him,” Nurmagomedov told Submission Radio. “That’s why he tried to be on media, like, try to trash talk me and something like this. We all know about him. How many times he lose? Like, 12 or 11? Like, everybody, all top fighters beat him. Like, Rory MacDonald, Benson Henderson, Dos Anjos, Conor. Everybody beat him. Like, forget about him.”
When asked who’d he fight next, Khabib Nurmagomedov said Tony Ferguson seems like a good choice. Yet, “Eagle” dreams of meeting “the greatest athlete who ever competed in UFC”, Georges St-Pierre, at 155.
“Georges St. Pierre is a very big name,” said Khabib. “I like, an opponent who is a very tough opponent and he’s a little bit bigger than me. If we’re gonna fight, we have to fight at 155, because 170 is his weight and he’s gonna be a little bit bigger than me. For me it’s like a smart decision taking him to 155. He’s a very big challenge for me. Like, for my legacy, he’s a very good match-up for my legacy, for fans, for money, for everywhere now. I don’t know about his future, about his plans, but I respect him. In my opinion, he’s the greatest athlete who ever competed in the UFC, because he’s a champion inside the cage and outside the cage too. We’ll see.”
There is another name in Russian’s mind. As well as you know, Khabib has already challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr for a boxing match.
Despite his offer was trolled in social media, Khabib Nurmagomedov is still interested in that fight! Actually, Khabib believes a clash against Mayweather would be a “great decision”.
“He’s old now,” Khabib said. “If you talk about like if I’m gonna compete with young lions in boxing, of course it’s gonna be very tough for me. Like, even if you talk about Canelo or Golovkin, these guys are dangerous. But Mayweather now is old, 41, 42 years old. You know, but he’s a very big name. If we can take very big fish, why not?
“A lot of people don’t understand about age, about when you did in competition. Like, they think, ‘oh, Mayweather and that’s it,’ or, ‘Conor and that’s it’. They don’t know what’s inside. We can take everything what they have. You know, all his 50-0, we can take this because he’s too old, too small, and it’s gonna be smart decision for my future, for legacy, for money, for fans, for everywhere.”
Khabib’s father Abdulmanap announced in 2017 that his son would retire when he reaches 30 to keep his health. Khabib’s 30th birthday was on September 20, 2018, but he hasn’t retired yet.
Nurmagomedov even thinks of fighting all three. It looks like “Eagle” wants to reach GOAT status before he finally hangs up his gloves.
“I don’t know right now,” Khabib said. “Why not maybe St. Pierre, Ferguson and Mayweather, it will be these three guys and we can retire and become the greatest athlete of all time.”
What do you think, who is the next in line for Khabib Nurmagomedov?
