McGregor: ‘Khabib is afraid to fight me ... I don’t blame him’
Conor McGregor believes Khabib Nurmagomedov’s decision to retire is because he is running scared of his old rival.
The lightweight champion, 32, called time on his unbeaten career after defending his belt against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi in October, citing a promise he made to his mother following the death of his father in July.
However, Nurmagomedov and the UFC continue to tease a possible comeback for one more fight, to take the Dagestan athlete’s professional record to 30-0.
McGregor would be very much in the mix to face Nurmagomedov, in what would be a money-spinning rematch of their controversial 2018 encounter. Nurmagomedov won that bout via a fourth-round submission.
McGregor, though, sees more to Nurmagomedov’s decision to walk away from the sport.
“I think he’s afraid to fight me, that’s for damn sure,” the former two-division champion told ESPN. “I don’t blame him. I know exactly what to face. I fought the best of him that night and he fought the worst of me that night. He knows it, I know it, his team knows it.
“I have the answer to destroy that man. He can pull the wool over people’s eyes only for so long, but it is what it is. I know there are surrounding things regarding the family. If he’s retired then I wish him well. But I am who I am and I’m at the top and time will show.”
McGregor, also 32, returns to the octagon on Sunday in the headline bout at UFC 257 against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi. The Irishman has not fought since last January, when he needed only 40 seconds to stop Donald Cerrone.
According to UFC president Dana White, Nurmagomedov will be keeping a close eye on UFC 257 and then decide if he would like to come out of retirement.
“His hand is showing he’s not a true fighter,” McGregor said. “I mean how could you retire? How could you walk away? There’s so many fights to be had.” On a potential rematch, McGregor added: “I’m here for it. But if it doesn’t [happen], it doesn’t. I wonder what he’s going to say. Like I said, he can only pull wool over someone’s eyes for so long.”