Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Manager Says Champ is Now The Top Paid Fighter in The UFC

As it turns out, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s recently announced fight with Dustin Poirier is part of a new deal he’s signed, which according to his manager, has made him the top paid fighter in the promotion.

Earlier on Tuesday, the UFC confirmed that Khabib is going to face Poirier in a unification lightweight title fight on September 7th. The bout will headline UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi.

But, since then news has surfaced that the lightweight champ has also inked a new, apparently massive contract. Khabib’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz spoke with MMA Fighting, and while doing so, he had this to say about the champ’s new deal:

“…We’re well taken care of. We can’t ask for any better. We very grateful. Easiest negotiation I ever did. It was fair, straight to the point. This is one of the biggest deals in UFC history. I don’t care Conor [McGregor], I don’t care this is one of the biggest guaranteed money [contracts] in UFC history. When you do this kind of deal, people normally burn bridges. The bridges only got stronger, that’s all I’m going to say.

“…My opinion right now, Khabib is the pound-for-pound greatest fighter we’ve ever seen. He never lost. He’s never been caught. He’s never been dropped. He’s dominated every round against almost every opponent. No [performance-enhancing drugs], nothing.

“This is why he’s the highest-paid athlete in the UFC today. Believe me. He’s the highest-paid athlete in the UFC today. And I’m saying that again because I see everything. They showed me everything. Khabib is the highest-paid athlete in the UFC and we are happy. It’s time to fight.”

Now, some people may question whether this is is indeed the case, or if Khabib will remain the highest paid fighter, if and when McGregor signs a new deal. But, based off what Nurmagomedov’s accomplished, and how massive of a star he’s become in the last year or so, it’s not surprising to hear he’s inked a huge deal.