Despite the top martial arts draw that returned to the Octagon on Saturday against Dustin Poirier to lead UFC 257 from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov hovers over this fight .
No title is at stake in McGregor-Poirier II, a rematch of the 2014 featherweight bout that the Irishman won in two minutes from TKO. There’s not even an official word on what’s at stake in relation to the 155-pound weight class.
The closest thing to a prize is the chance of the undefeated Nurmagomedov, according to the UFC president After the death of his father Abdulmanap and the relapse of the promise, Dana White may fall back on his declared desire to withdraw from the competition to his bereaved.
« If these guys could do something special, Khabib would fight them » White told viewers during the UFC Fight Night event last Saturday on ABC. This was the culmination of a hyped announcement that resulted from a well-publicized conversation between the two earlier this week.
But the words straight out of « The Eagle » fly in the face of White’s generic tease. An interview in Nurmagomedov’s Russian mother tongue with Sport24 tells a different story.
« My mother is the most precious thing I have, » Nurmagomedov said in translated English subtitles in the video interview published on Wednesday. « You won’t push me to do things that will disappoint my mom. I don’t even have any plans for UFC anytime soon.
» I don’t even have thoughts about preparing for a fight. I saw Umar [Nurmagomedov, a cousin who competed at Fight Island on Wednesday] prepare now and I thought, Alhamdulillah (praise be god) I left it behind. «
The championship belt remains around Nurmagomedov’s waist, however, an unusual step in a promotion where there was no problem clearing titles from retired fighters or creating intermediate belts for stuck divisions.
McGregor (22nd -4, 20 placements), who has announced a brief resignation several times in the past five years, has made no secret of his desire for a second chance against Nurmagomedov, who submitted him in the fourth round of his record-per-view title fight in October 2018, which was immediately followed by a close combat in which the fighters and their corner men were involved. At the press conference on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, however, the Irishman said he would no longer persist in following the rematch.
« In his private life things have changed. I don’t want him harm, ”said McGregor. “[The fight] was in 2018. A lot of time has passed. The world knows this fight is not over yet. This war is not over yet. It takes this sport to happen. People need it to happen. I will not pursue him. That’s it. I will keep calm and move on. «
But one thing McGregor loves is gold, and he won’t stand Nurmagomedov holding up an easy division with so many top competitors, including himself.
» I would take the case If this man continues to dodge and dodge the obligation to compete again, the title should be stripped and we should get into a title fight, « said McGregor, who held onto his easy championship with no defense for 17 months before it was vacated . « I’m sure it will happen after this fight [against Poirier]. I’m interested in hearing the excuses or what is said after the fight, but I predict a title strip. «
In addition to McGregor and Poirier (26-6, 19), both 32 years old, Charles Oliveira, who made a dominant decision over Tony Ferguson in December, is on the list of candidates for a potentially vacant title. Justin Gaethje , the youngest interim champion entered by Nurmagomedov in the champion’s last fight in October; and Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker, who will compete in Saturday’s co-main event.
« I think this is one of the Beauties of the UFC lightweight division, which is currently the most exciting division in the world: We don’t know what’s going to happen, « says Chandler, who will make his UFC debut after ten stellar years running with Bellator, the Post said on Wednesday.
« We don’t know what Khabib is going to do. We don’t know, is Conor real? Did he come back really motivated and can he beat Dustin Poirier? … As a fighter, you have to accept the uncertainty and do your best. And the best way to do that is to go out there and have great performances and hopefully the rest of the material will take care of itself. “
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