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UFC gentle-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement following a 2nd-round submission scheme shut over Justin Gaethje closing October.
However, UFC President Dana White offered a glimmer of hope for a return within the center of a dialog with UFC commentator Jon Anik on Jan. 16:
That cracked door can also be slammed shut after White’s latest feedback following UFC 257, which featured No. 2 gentle-weight contender Dustin Poirier TKO’ing No. 4 contender Conor McGregor in Round 2.
“I did focus on to Khabib,” White said after the fight, per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.
“And he said to me, ‘Dana be beautiful with yourself. I am so many ranges above these guys, I beat these guys.’ I sort now not know. But it would now not sound very definite. We are going to peep.”
Nurmagomedov has beaten Poirier, McGregor and Gaethje, who’s level-headed listed because the No. 1 contender.
A doubtlessly fascinating matchup can also occur between Nurmagomedov and the No. 3 gentle-weight contender in Charles Oliveira, who beat No. 5 Tony Ferguson thru unanimous resolution closing December. Oliveira has gained eight straight fights.
However, Nurmagomedov has proved to be a decrease above the the leisure of the gentle-weight division, which is more so a commentary on him being the game’s top pound-for-pound males’s fighter somewhat than analysis on the diploma of opponents, which is level-headed fierce.
ESPN’s Ariel Helwani speculated on what’s subsequent for the gentle-weight division if Nurmagomedov stays out of the Octagon, with Saturday’s enormous winner prominently eager:
If Nurmagomedov stays retired, he can absorb executed his legit occupation with 29 wins, eight thru knockout and 11 thru submission. For now, he’s level-headed the gentle-weight champion, because the belt has now not been vacated yet.
