Recently Khabib Nurmagomedov has let it be known that if he beats Justin Gaethje in October, he wants to battle Georges St-Pierre next spring. While Nurmagomedov’s long time coach can’t say for certain it would be the final bout of the champ’s career, he believes it likely would be.
Javier Mendez doesn’t see Khabib fighting past 30-0
Nurmagomedov has been saying for quite some time now that he’d like to fight St-Pierre, and before the latter retired, he also campaigned for the super fight. More recently, however, Nurmagomedov has spiked talk about the match-up again, by proposing the fight take place next spring.
There’s also been plenty of discussion lately about reports that Khabib’s now deceased father, Abdulmanap, suggested his son retire at 30-0. If Khabib beats Gaethje at UFC 254, and then St-Pierre next year, the lightweight champ’s record would stand at that mark.
Well, recently Nurmagomedov’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, appeared on the “Hablemos MMA” show. While talking about the likelihood of Khabib fight GSP, and then retiring, he said this (quotes via MMA Junkie).
“Yeah, it’s a big possibility,” Mendez said. “He might do that because all the times that I was with him and his dad, they’ve talked about those things: two more fights, 30-0.
“They want to a legacy fight, then be done and help the other guys that are starting their fighting careers.
There’s great fighters, cousins of his who are great fighter like Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov. Yhey’re his blood. They’re going to be great fighters. Islam Makhachev too.
“So he wants to help them get to the title. I don’t think he’ll fight beyond that, but anything is possible.
I was a fighter too and when you’re finishing a career, you feel it in your heart, you want to fight more and it’s hard not to fight. I don’t think he’ll continue fighting, but anything is possible.”
In addition, Mendez also reported the following.
“He doesn’t want that fight for money and that’s what his father wanted,” Mendez said. “He told me, ‘That’s what my father wants.
What do you think coach?’ And I was like, ‘You know, if that’s what your father wants, we can do it, and if that’s what you want as well.’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I want to do it for my father, so I’m like, ‘Let’s do it.’”
Makes sense
Now, of course, before Khabib can face GSP he needs to beat Gaethje, who is ridiculously skilled and dangerous. Then the UFC would have to come to terms with St-Pierre, and Khabib would need to beat one of the greatest fighters the game has ever seen, in order to hit the 30-0 mark.
But, if that were to happen, leaving with that record, having never been defeated, would be a legendary way to exit the sport.
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