Nurmagomedov: No rematch with Conor for now
UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov believes his ugly rivalry with Conor McGregor will “by no means be completed.”
Nevertheless, Nurmagomedov says he has no curiosity now in a second combat.
In an unique interview with ESPN, Nurmagomedov (27-Zero), who defended his light-weight title in opposition to McGregor (21-Three) through fourth-round submission final October, mentioned he would combat McGregor on the street in the event that they crossed paths, however he is not going to grant him a right away rematch so long as he holds the belt.
“Even [the October fight] didn’t end it,” Nurmagomedov mentioned. “Simply smash individuals will not be sufficient. I speak about simply smash solely him? It isn’t sufficient. We’ve to smash all his staff. That is what I believe earlier than the combat. That is what I say to my staff. ‘Hey, tonight, we’ll conflict. This isn’t about combat.’
“It should by no means be completed. Ever. Even when we see [each other] someplace, we’ll combat, 100%. It does not matter if somebody go to jail or one thing like this. I am not scared about this. … They go to hospital and we go to police. That is it.”
Nurmagomedov, of Dagestan, is scheduled to defend his title in opposition to Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It should mark his first look since he jumped out of the Octagon after beating McGregor to confront members of his staff. Nurmagomedov mentioned he did so as a result of McGregor insulted his household and nation within the buildup to the combat.
The Nevada State Athletic Fee suspended Nurmagomedov 9 months and fined him $500,000 for his postfight actions. In April, the rivalry made headlines once more, when McGregor posted, and deleted, two offensive social media messages aimed toward Nurmagomedov’s spouse. Nurmagomedov responded by calling McGregor a “rapist.”
The UFC’s return to China includes a strawweight division championship combat, one which followers in Shenzhen have been anticipating for a number of months.
Zhang Weili, who’s 19-1 and fights out of Beijing, will look to take the title from Jessica Andrade in Saturday’s primary occasion.
UFC Combat Night time: Andrade vs. Zhang
• Saturday, Shenzhen, China
• Prelims: ESPN, Three a.m. ET
• Important card: ESPN+, 6 a.m. ET
Subscribe to ESPN+ to get unique stay UFC occasions, weigh-ins and extra; Ariel and the Unhealthy Man; Dana White’s Contender Sequence; and extra unique MMA content material.
McGregor, of Dublin, has expressed curiosity in a right away rematch. A second combat between Nurmagomedov and McGregor could be a particularly profitable occasion, however Nurmagomedov mentioned he is not going to enable it to occur with out McGregor first successful a combat. The 155-pound champion has clearly acknowledged he wish to face Tony Ferguson subsequent, ought to he defeat Poirier on Saturday.
“This man [McGregor] have to return again and make nine- or 10-fight win streak. Then we gonna combat,” Nurmagomedov mentioned. “Possibly individuals who watch this interview, they assume, ‘Oh, he take into consideration this, however when UFC ask this man to combat Conor for tens of millions of , this man is gonna take it.’ No. Combat. Come again and present who’re you.
“Dana [White], no must name me. Why he must name me about this combat? We speak with Dana typically, he is a great man, however do not speak with me about this loopy combat. I wish to combat actual guys — Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson, possibly if one of many biggest athletes ever, Georges St-Pierre, needs to combat. I wish to combat these guys. I do not wish to combat with a man who by no means wins.”