Will Khabib Nurmagomedov ever fight in the UFC again?

When the “greatest fighter of all time” discussion begins in MMA circles, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the first names that UFC fans bring up.

Khabib Nurmagomedov entered the UFC with a sparkling undefeated record in 2011 after blazing through the local Russian and Ukrainian circuits.

It took Khabib nine fights to earn his first title shot, which came at UFC 223 against Al Iaquinta in a unanimous decision victory for the new Lightweight Champion. And Khabib didn’t intend to give up that title once he got it.

Khabib defended the belt three times, winning matchups against Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje — all via submission.

Upon defeating Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020, Khabib announced his retirement from combat sports.

Contents

• Why did Khabib retire from the UFC?
• Has Khabib ever lost a fight?
• What does Khabib do now?
• Will Khabib ever fight again?

Why did Khabib Nurmagomedov retire from the UFC?

Khabib’s core reason for leaving the UFC is his family. The former champion-level fighter doesn’t want to miss out on being a father to his three children.

Khabib’s retirement came only a few months after losing his own father, Abdulmanap. He promised his mother that the Gaethje fight would be his last.

Has Khabib Nurmagomedov ever lost a fight?

Khabib has never lost a fight in his professional MMA career. He retired with a pristine 29-0 record, including 13 UFC victories, all coming in dominant fashion.

In fact, Khabib only lost two rounds in his entire career — one against McGregor and the other vs. Gaethje.

What does Khabib Nurmagomedov do now?

Khabib spends most of his time being a family man, but he still has his fingerprints all over the UFC as Islam Makhachev’s coach.

Makhachev, the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, credits Khabib as a mentor. The two have been like brothers since childhood.

Will Khabib Nurmagomedov ever fight again?

According to Khabib, he will never fight in the UFC again. Dana White stated in 2022 that the door is likely closed on an MMA return for Nurmagomedov.

Neither White nor Khabib have loosened on that stance in recent years.