Dana White Addresses Khabib Nurmagomedov Rumors After UFC 330
Khabib Nurmagomedov had UFC fans talking after appearing with gloves on at UFC 330. Dana White was then asked the question many people had in mind: could the unbeaten former champion ever be convinced to fight again?
Dana White does not expect Khabib Nurmagomedov to put the gloves back on. The UFC CEO was asked about the retired former lightweight champion after UFC 330, where footage showed Nurmagomedov wearing UFC gloves backstage.
“I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “Listen, when he was trying to retire, I was all over that f*ing guy. I don’t think you’ll get him back now, plus he’s got to weigh like 225 lb or something! Yeah, he’s got a good life, and I don’t think he’s looking to fight any more.”
Dana White Gives Blunt Khabib Nurmagomedov Comeback Verdict
The question came after another major night for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s longtime friend and student, Islam Makhachev. Makhachev retained the UFC welterweight title with a unanimous-decision win over Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 330 main event at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The scores were 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.
Makhachev’s win was his 17th in a row in the UFC, setting a new promotion record for the longest winning streak. He also moved to 29-1 as a professional and completed the first defense of the 170-pound belt he won at UFC 322.
Nurmagomedov, 37, walked away from MMA after submitting Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020. The win unified the lightweight title and left him with a 29-0 professional record. He had announced beforehand that the bout would be his final fight, following the death of his father, coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
White spent months trying to change that decision. He later accepted Nurmagomedov’s retirement, but the former champion has repeatedly made it clear that his fighting career is finished. In a 2023 interview, Nurmagomedov said he had turned down offers worth $20 million, $30 million and $40 million because money was no longer enough to pull him back into competition.
“It’s finished. I leave this alone. I am happy and I never regret my decision. Never,” Nurmagomedov said.
There have been plenty of comeback rumors over the years, from possible UFC fights to a reported boxing offer involving Floyd Mayweather. None have led to a return. Instead, Nurmagomedov has remained close to the sport as a coach and corner figure for Makhachev and other fighters from his team.
Makhachev’s run has kept the Nurmagomedov name near the center of UFC title fights without Khabib needing to take another walk to the Octagon. And based on White’s latest answer, the gloves spotted backstage were just gloves.
