Coach: I only see Khabib Nurmagomedov returning for one fighter

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently was asked by the Russian language Match TV who he thinks will get the belt after him.

“The winner of the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier match,” he said. “I think they will fight for the belt.”

It’s not clear whether “The Eagle” meant the fight at UFC 257 on January 23 on Fight Island would be the winner, or if the winner would fight for the belt at some point. Nurmagomedov says he is retired, but he has stayed in the USADA testing pool, and has a meeting with UFC president Dana White in early January. So his status remains in flux.

During a recent appearance on The Schmozone podcast, Khabib’s coach Javier Mendez said that IF Khabib is retired, then Dustin Poirier should fight for the belt.

Let’s face it, if in fact he’s not coming back and we know that for a fact – and I don’t know that – but if in fact he’s not, then the rightful person that should be fighting for the title is Dustin against anybody, said Mendez. So to me, they got one of the right persons in there. Conor would be the second right one, or it could be Justin Gaethje or it could be Michael Chandler. It doesn’t matter. Or [Charles] Oliveira. What matters is that Dustin is in the title hunt because he’s the one that, in my opinion, is most deserving of a title shot.

Some argue that the UFC is not declaring that the UFC 257 main event is for the belt as a way to incentivizing Nurmagomedov to do one more title defense, ideally a McGregor rematch, but Mendez said the champ will likely return only for the one that got away, and only if his mother okays it.

“We never talked about it, but I can only tell you this – his father, his vision was for Khabib to fight GSP and retire at 30-0. So if Dana anything to do with anything, it isn’t a boatload of money because I don’t believe that’s gonna be the case. It would be something to the effect of something that very much interests him. So maybe a GSP fight. I don’t know, I’m guessing.

But in order for that to happen, he’d have to go to the No. 1 person that he promised he would retire, and that would be his mother, not me. I’m on board for whatever he wants to do. So he’d have to clear it with his mother if he wants to do anything.

So is Nurmagomedov actually retired retired, and not just MMA Retired?

I can only go by what’s in the media and what he’s been saying, said Mendez. When have we known him to not do what he’s said? I don’t know, I can’t recall a time he’s said something and didn’t mean it.

What do you think UG, is Khabib Nurmagomedov really retired?