Even though UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is out of commission right now due to serving a nine-month suspension for inciting a brawl at UFC 229, Nurmagomedov is already making plans for his return to the octagon. With Dustin Poirier winning the interim lightweight title back at UFC 236, obviously he’s the first choice to face the lightweight champion; however, Nurmagomedov’s manager reveals on ESPN that Khabib is looking to do three within a year:
“He gave me very specific instructions,” Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz told
ESPN recently.
“He said he wants to fight Sept. 7 and again in December. And if Georges St-Pierre can figure things out with the UFC by April, that’s the deal. He would like that fight in April.”
Khabib has been looking to fight Georges St-Pierre for some time; however, the former welterweight and middleweight champion announced his retirement from MMA in December. St-Pierre had shown interest in fighting Nurmagomedov but decided to call it quits when the UFC had no interest in making the fight.
“The lightweight division has a lot of contenders, and we need to keep the division going,” Abdelaziz said.
“Khabib has done this before. He fought [Edson Barboza], Al [Iaquinta] and Conor [McGregor] in less than one year [from December 2017 to October 2018]. If it can be Georges in April, he would love that fight. If not, it can be any contender.”
So other than the obvious choice of Dustin Poirier, who else would you like Khabib to fight inside the octagon? Make your comments below!