UFC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION Khabib Nurmagomedov has no plans for a rematch with Conor McGregor after his dominant victory in October.
Nurmagomedov overcame McGregor at UFC 229, ending the fight in the fourth round with a rear-naked choke move.
McGregor announced his retirement from mixed martial arts in March, though later backtracked on that decision, with Nurmagomedov having labelled the Irishman as a “jealous wife”.
But the possibility of a rematch appears slim, with the undefeated Russian fighter insisting McGregor has no right to take him on as things stand.
“What happened on 6 October is just beginning of my legacy, I’m very excited about my comeback,” Nurmagomedov told a news conference at his face off with interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier ahead of their UFC 242 unified bout in September.
“In the last three years, [McGregor] only has one victory in amateur boxing,” added the Russian, referring to his Irish adversary’s exhibition bout against Michael McGrane on Crumlin Boxing Club’s Good Friday show earlier this year.
“How does he deserve a rematch?
He tapped, he begged me, ‘Please don’t kill me’, and he talks about a rematch?
“Tony Ferguson is on the line, guys with a win streak are on the line, not a guy who didn’t do nothing in three years. I have a lot of work without him. Right now, I’m focused on 7 September.”
- Omni
The legions of hardcore McGregor fans have really gone to ground in recent months. Young love is a fickle thing.
@dRod2128: sure what’s there for them to talk about?. His whiskey? Not sure what you mean.
McGregor has more important stuff to do what with egging on a washed up 20 something yr old Canadian pop star who wants to fight a movie star who’s closer to 60 than 50
@Richard O’Brien: be honest, you would love to see it happen. My money would be on Tom Cruise, he’s hardcore however weird. It would be the biggest pay day the two have ever seen.
@Richard O’Brien: I’d prefer to see one of the Jedward twins call out Bieber, then slap the head off him.
@Stanley Baggins: I’d pay to watch that one
@Stanley Baggins: or both in a tag team
I’d love to see Khabib fight Ferguson. Tony would make big problems for him. Conor will never beat Khabib. Khabib will go for the take down straight away and it would be just a boring scrap on the ground.
@Rotts: I think it’s widely known
Yet there will be a khabib rematch after Porier. After the PPV numbers come in low for a title fight Conor will be next. It’s already being set up, this presser was closed to the public tonight for so Dana can say we did this before, its it’s normal bla bla.
Tony / Khabib would be a great fight to watch, he’s like a worm on the ground and those elbows are unbelievable. Other than that Khabib is the most boring fighter in the UFC full stop. He doesn’t mix it up he just goes for the take down 99% of the time.
@Vory2Stars: Don’t think the PPV numbers will be low for Poirier vs Khabib at all
@Vory2Stars: his stand up game was better than McGregor’s when they fought
@Vory2Stars: yeah, how dare he play to his strengths!
@Stephen Lyons: Yeah they will. Compared to lightweight title fights in the past 4/5 years it will be low, that’s why conor is still ranked in the top 5 so he can get a title shot / super fight against Khabib.
@Dave O Keeffe: Who said he shouldn’t? I said his style is boring. It’s my opinion.
@Tom49: If by stand up you mean manoeuvring to take him down yes it was. If by stand up you mean striking no it wasn’t.
@John Macken: Please elucidate John
@John Macken: Please elucidate John if you would
@Rotts: could you say that again please
He’s right though , Conor hasn’t done anything to deserve a rematch. Dana’s probably fed up of the s**t that goes with him as well. If he wants a rematch back to the bottom of the division and fight his way back up. It’s only fair given his recent form and to be fair to the others in the division.