Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor remains, to this day, the single biggest pay-per-view in UFC history. The clash between the promotion’s two biggest stars is as legendary for the pre- and post-fight antics as for the fight itself. Although it took place way back in 2018, fans still talk about the McGregor bus incident and the post-fight brawl featuring both teams.
When asked about the potential for a rematch in an interview with ES News, Khabib’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, was brief in his response:
Ali Abdelaziz shoots down McGregor v Khabib 2: Conor “needs to go to rehab” before he will consider rematch
“Brother, Conor is not even a high-level fighter anymore. He likes drugs again. He needs to go to rehab and work on his life. He doesn’t need to fight anymore”
Although Khabib unquestionably won the fight, dominating throughout before securing victory with a rear naked choke, a rematch was always on the cards. It would mean huge money for the UFC, a grudge match for fans to watch, and the chance for McGregor to reclaim his top spot after years of inactivity and disappointing results.
However, with Khabib retired, and McGregor out of action with his broken leg for the foreseeable future, a rematch looks increasingly unlikely. Fans hoping to see the two duke it out again will no doubt be disappointed to hear Abdelaziz’s response.
Conor McGregor is nowhere near as big of a star, nor as dominant, as he was in 2018. His consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier dulled the shine on the Irish star, who may well be looking at the end of his MMA career. Conor may well decide to concentrate on his various business ventures that don’t require him to sustain repeated head trauma in order to get paid.
For his part, Khabib seems happy in retirement. He promised his mother that, in absence of his father, he would never compete in MMA again. He appears content leaving the path clear for his proteges and teammates to take a run at the division he once so thoroughly dominated.
Khabib, in the same interview, was reluctant to comment on Conor McGregor at all. The Russian star remained silent when asked about McGregor’s leg injury sustained against Dustin Poirier last month.
While McGregor v Khabib may have been the biggest, and most profitable, rivalry in the UFC’s recent years, it is perhaps best left in the past. A new generation of fighters are on their way up and it might be time for the UFC to follow Khabib’s lead and leave this rivalry behind.
Do you want to see McGregor v Khabib fight again? Let us know in the comments.
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