MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov's old coach says unbeaten UFC star misses fighting, but won't disobey mother's wishes
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Khabib Nurmagomedov famously surprised the mixed martial arts world when he announced his retirement from the sport straight after his third successful defence of the lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 last October.
At 29-0, Khabib honoured a promise made to his mother that he would not continue to fight without his late father and long-time trainer Abdulmanap by his side, and six months after his announcement UFC Preisdent Dana White finally accepted that he could not change the undefeated Russian star's mind, declaring the title officially vacant.
Nonetheless, many still believe a return could happen with Nurmagomedov only 32 years old and with his combat sports stock at a massive high. And his former coach Javier Mendez believes it could still happen — though admittedly, it's a long shot.
Mendez told Betway Insider that Khabib, with whom he maintains a very close relationship, misses the sport and everything that came with being a professional fighter. That said, whether that actually leads to a return or whether he instead finds alternative ways to channel his passion for MMA remains to be seen.
"I guess you could say he wants to fight again," explained Mendez, "but absolutely not because his mother would have to give him permission before any of that.
"I mean, he misses training, he misses fighting. I took it as he misses being around me and coaching. Our relationship is more than fighting, that goes beyond fighting. It's not a relationship like: ‘ok I’m done with my career, you know, my coach and I were just distant friends’. No. We’re family, we grew with each other.
"They’re family to me and we’ll always be in each other's lives for the rest of our lives."
He continued: "He loves the fighting, the energy, and he loves watching his cousins and his team-mates perform. He gets nervous for them.
"You know, when we went to the last fight and his cousin Abubakar was to fight, he just got all energised and he said ‘I miss this feeling’. And it’s a feeling that he’s gonna miss for a while because of that adrenaline you get from entering that octagon with all those people cheering you on.
"It's hard to replace that in normal life because normal life is not like that.
"Even if Khabib wanted to fight, he would not disobey his mother. That’s just who he is.
"I don’t talk to him about if he’s tempted to get back in, so I don’t know. What I do know is his mothers bond and his mothers wishes are extremely important to him and if he did ever decide, it would have to be his mother and him talking and his mother would have to give him her blessing.
"I can say this comfortably, that after two years out of the octagon, there will definitely be no comeback. Before that, when he’s feeling young and he’s in his prime, I’m gonna say I don’t know.
"I’d definitely say that when he’s past his prime, definitely not because he’s not going to compete when he’s not able to compete. But I can honestly say that if he’s still in his prime, there’s always the possibility that he and mother could talk. I can say that.
"I wouldn’t bet against it, but I know there is a possible situation that I could see. If there was something that would bring him back, it’s him still being in his prime and him and his mother talking."
