Khabib Nurmagomedov, a retired UFC champion, shared a surprising message of hope for his rival Conor McGregor. Speaking at a Muslim gathering in New York on August 2, 2025, he said McGregor could turn his life around despite ongoing personal and legal struggles. The comments come after McGregor’s 2024 civil sexual assault case and other controversies. Nurmagomedov’s words, rooted in his faith, focus on the possibility of redemption for the former two-division champion.
Khabib’s words for McGregor
Nurmagomedov addressed McGregor’s issues, saying:
“This is punishment, and he keeps doing this, keeps doing this, keeps doing this. Everything that happened, with these old people, woman this, alcohol this, drugs, everything. This is punishment.”He added, “But the most beautiful part of this, Allah always gives for us — it doesn’t matter, anybody, everybody — a chance to come back. Always, in this world, a chance to come back.”
He continued, “This is the most beautiful thing. It doesn’t matter how bad, Allah is going to give you a chance to always come back. I think [McGregor] has a chance and he has to change the way how he’s living.”
He emphasized McGregor’s influence, stating:
“If he’s going to change, he can change with him so many lives, too. And that’s why I wish him to change himself.”
Khabib speaks about Conor McGregor:
“Allah always give us chance to come back… doesn’t matter how you bad…
I think he have chance, and he have to change the way how he’s living.
If he gonna change, he can change with him so many other lives too. That’s why I wish him to… pic.twitter.com/fN4oGNk0Qn
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 3, 2025
Khabib Nurmagomedov, 36, is from Dagestan, Russia, and retired undefeated in 2020 with a 29-0 record. He won the UFC lightweight title in 2018 by beating Al Iaquinta at UFC 223 and defended it against McGregor at UFC 229, submitting him with a rear-naked choke. The fight ended with a brawl after Nurmagomedov confronted McGregor’s corner. He also beat Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje before retiring.
Conor McGregor, 37, is from Dublin, Ireland, and became the UFC’s first two-division champion, holding featherweight and lightweight titles in 2016. His record is 22-6, with wins over Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez. After losing to Nurmagomedov in 2018, he went 1-3, with knockout losses to Poirier in 2021 and a broken leg in their trilogy fight. His legal troubles include a 2024 civil sexual assault case costing $250,000.
The Nurmagomedov-McGregor feud is one of UFC’s biggest. In April 2018, McGregor attacked a bus carrying Nurmagomedov during UFC 223 fight week in Brooklyn, throwing a dolly through a window and injuring fighters. He faced charges for assault and criminal mischief, pleading no contest to disorderly conduct. The incident fueled their UFC 229 clash, where personal insults about religion and family heightened tensions.
In May 2025, Nurmagomedov said he used earnings from the McGregor fight to build a $5 million training gym in his hometown of Sildi, Dagestan, to support his community.
McGregor rejoined the UFC’s drug-testing pool, hinting at a 2026 return, possibly at a White House fight card mentioned by Donald Trump.
