Will Khabib Nurmagomedov make his sensational return to MMA if Charles Oliveira defeats Islam Makhachev at UFC 280?
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Will and Oliveira win entice Nurmagomedov to make a grand return to the octagon?
This weekend’s bout between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev will have a bigger shadow cast in the background, by the former champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Both athletes and their stories all converge at a common point in Nurmagomedov and hence he’s as big a story this weekend as either of the two men involved in the main event.
The bigger question walking into this week has always been one thing, will an Oliveira victory entice Nurmagomedov to return to the Octagon? Nurmagomedov always talked about, “Father’s plan”, that being Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s intention to have the next generation of combat athletes rise from his ranks.
A key part of that plan was Makhachev taking over the reins once Nurmagomedov retired from the sport. With the death of Abdulmanap, the retirement had to be fast-tracked with the champion calling it quits from the sport, at UFC 254, after his 29th professional bout.
However, many fans and fighters believe there are hardly a few things that could ever get Nurmagomedov back into the octagon. Here are three reasons why he is certain to never come back.
3 Reasons why Khabib Nurmagomedov will likely never return to the Octagon
Coaching Responsibilities.
With the death of his father, Nurmagomedov had to unwillingly take up his spot as the guide of the entire Eagles MMA camp. In this he has been successful with his boasting a better record than most established coaches in the year 2021, the first year of his coaching.
Currently, 2 title aspirants, namely Makhachev and his cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov are training under the former champion preparing for their championship bouts in the UFC and Bellator respectively.
Other notable students under him include Zubaira Tukhgov and Umar Nurmagomedov both promising prospects.
Promises
When he announced his retirement, a key reason during his speech was the promise he made to his mother. Nurmagomedov’s mother was hesitant to send her son to fight without her husband’s guidance and it was after great trouble that the champion managed to convince her to let him have one last fight.
Ever the man of his word, it seems unlikely that Nurmagomedov intends to go back on that promise any time soon as he has said so in multiple interviews since 2020.
Also Read: Coach Javier Mendez believes Khabib Nurmagomedov will be the greatest coach of all time
Lack of Competition.
No other fighter in the history of the division has managed to clear it with as little resistance as Nurmagomedov. Sparing his first 2 fights in the UFC, Nurmagomedov has since then looked near invincible all the way up to his retirement. This remains the only factor that can change.
Nurmagomedov has high hopes for Makhachev but he doesn’t think of him as being unbeatable. He has even been asked in the past if Oliveira beating Makhachev would prompt him to return to the octagon.
Staunchly against the idea, Nurmagomedov said he wouldn’t be as rash as that, coming out of retirement just to prove a point. He has said multiple times in the past that he felt that he had decisively cleared out the division, and unless Oliveira manages to completely Makhachev, that factor remains unchanged.
What do you think is the possibility of Nurmagomedov ever returning to action? Do you feel that Oliveira might call out the former champion if he manages to regain his title? Let us know!
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)