Despite Khabib Nurmagomedov’s assurances that he would stick to his October 2020 decision to retire, Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White has tried his damnedest to change the Russian’s mind. It seems the UFC boss has finally given up on his crusade to get “The Eagle” back in the Octagon.

Dana White’s given up on Khabib return: ‘I’ve abandoned all hope, so you should too’

In a new conversation with “>TMZ, White was asked if fans should still hold out hope that the unbeaten former UFC lightweight champion could return to action in the future. While he has been the leader of the Khabib-must-unretire movement, it seems the UFC head honcho has officially ended his attempts to pull the superstar out of retirement.

“I’ve abandoned all hope, so you should too,” White told TMZ with a laugh. “He’s done. Believe me, I threw the kitchen sink at this kid. Tried to get him to stick around, and I think he’s done. I think he’s sliding into this coach’s role. He went undefeated in his career, retired undefeated, and now he’s undefeated as a coach too. The guys had nothing but success [and] continues to be successful and I think he’s moving on to that next chapter of his life.”

Nurmagomedov stunned observers of the sport when he announced his Octagon retirement immediately following his title defense submission victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. The native of Dagestan ended his run in the sport at just 32-year-old and one win away from a perfect 30-0 professional record.

However, considering developments in Nurmagomedov’s life before his announcement, the decison was understandable. Nurmagomedov’s father, and long-time coach, Abdulmanap died from COVID-19 related complications in July of 2020. Just three months prior to his last bout. The elder Nurmagomedov was a pivotal part of his son’s martial arts and prizefighting career, as an anchor in his corner for every bout.

Following his father’s death, Nurmagomedov’s mother requested that his UFC 254 fight be his final bout, and that he honor his father and coach’s memory by no longer competing. For the deeply religious and family-oriented fighter, acquiescing to that request was not a difficult choice for him. Especially, as it became well-known he had no joy for the pitfalls of the international fame he had attained at the time.

What were your favorite memories during Khabib Nurmagomedov’s 29-0 career?