Is Khabib Nurmagomedov coming back from retirement to compete in MMA?

Neither Khabib Nurmagomedov nor his manager Ali Abdelaziz have hinted at ‘The Eagle’ actively seeking a comeback in MMA.

Despite several fans eagerly waiting for the former UFC lightweight champion to reclaim the throne, Khabib Nurmagomedov has stood firm on his decision to hang up his gloves.

Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from the sport of MMA after a scintillating second-round submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.

Khabib retired with a perfect 29-0 record which included emphatic wins over former UFC champions and interim champions like Rafael dos Anjos, Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.

After successfully defending his lightweight title for the third time at UFC 254, Khabib Nurmagomedov shocked fight fans by announcing his decision to bid farewell to the octagon.

Khabib retired following the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, as he had promised his mother to never fight without his father by his side.

Khabib convinced his mother to allow him to make the walk one last time against Justin Gaethje, before hanging up his gloves for good after the bout.

Paying homage to his father, an emotional Khabib Nurmagomedov said in the post-fight interview –

“A huge thank you to all. To my fans, If I say my fans in Russia, that would be wrong. Let’s say all my Russian speaking fans. A huge thankyou to you all. When I started in 2008, and when I signed with UFC in 2012, many people didn’t believe. They thought it was impossible. I am a simple guy from a Dagestani mountain village. When I came here, my brother told me, ‘Google says you are the planet’s most discussed person.’ I couldn’t believe it because I couldn’t even think of that. I just wanted to become champion with the guidance of my father.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov has remained firm on his retirement

While UFC President Dana White suggested that the decision to retire might have been heavily influenced by an emotional outburst, Khabib Nurmagomedov has maintained his decision to step away from competing..

While Khabib alluded to a potential return before Conor McGregor faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, ‘The Eagle’ refrained from it as he was left unimpressed by the performance.

Earlier this year, Dana White officially announced Khabib’s retirement via Twitter and confirmed that he will no longer be competing in the UFC.