MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s trainer reveals how Conor McGregor kept Khabib from returning to UFC
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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s trainer Javier Mendez believes that Conor McGregor was responsible for the fighter staying retired.
Nurmagomedov retired in 2020 and while he seemed steadfast in that decision, Mendez revealed that there was one stage that he might have been tempted back.
That was during McGregor’s fight with Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi in January 2021, and Mendez said that if the pair had put on a ‘spectacular’ performance then he might have come back.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, he explained: “After Khabib retired they were still testing them. Dana White didn't remove Khabib from the testing pool after he retired because he still hoped Khabib would fight again, but then Khabib had enough of being tested, so he told Dana he didn't want to test anymore and that he's not coming back.
"He was roughly tested for about eight months before he had enough.
“The UFC were trying to get him to come back and he came close.
"You saw it when we were in Abu Dhabi. He said, 'If someone shows me something spectacular then maybe I'll come back'.
"It was Conor v Poirier that night, but it did not get Khabib excited. He said if something excited him on that card then maybe he'd consider it.
"But it never happened. The UFC was pushing him, but nothing excited him, so it was no go.”
