Khabib Nurmagomedov labels Dana White’s ‘money’ claim an ‘absolute lie’
The UFC president suggested that the former champion retired due to making good money by speaking in Muslim countries
Khabib Nurmagomedov has accused Dana White of telling an “absolute lie”, after the UFC president said the former champion retired – in part – because he made enough money from speaking in “Muslim” countries. Nurmagomedov won the UFC lightweight title in 2018, and he retired as champion in 2020 after submitting Justin Gaethje to maintain his unbeaten record. Along the way, Nurmagomedov recorded successful title defences against Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, submitting both men.
The Russian’s bitter rivalry with McGregor catapulted Nurmagomedov to stardom, and his 2018 fight with the Irishman remains the highest-grossing bout in the history of mixed martial arts. Khabib Nurmagomedov has completely refuted Dana White’s claim (Getty) Nurmagomedov, 37, retired in the cage immediately after beating Gaethje, citing a lack of desire to keep fighting after his father had passed away earlier in 2020. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who worked as Khabib’s head coach, died of complications from Covid.
Upon retiring, Khabib also cited a promise to his mother that he would stop fighting. White has long suggested that Nurmagomedov’s earnings meant he did not need to carry on in the cage, and the 56-year-old told Prince St Pizza this week: “Khabib, you know, again… I always said: wait until we get a Muslim world champion. You know, three billion Muslims or whatever, but the problem was… is that… then he went out on the Muslim tour.
“He hit Saudi [Arabia], Abu Dhabi, you know, Qatar, all these places. They rained on him, you know, so he made so much money, he didn’t have to fight anymore. “And his dad passed away, which I think had a big… had a lot to do with him not wanting to do it anymore.