Khabib Nurmagomedov has responded to a publication suggesting he retired from MMA due to financial reasons. The former UFC lightweight champion addressed the claim directly, denying that money was the motivating factor behind his decision to end his fighting career. While the post does not provide extensive detail about Khabib's full response, it indicates he felt compelled to publicly refute the suggestion. Khabib retired undefeated in 2020 following the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. His retirement has been the subject of ongoing speculation in the MMA community.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has publicly pushed back against a report claiming that financial motivations drove his decision to walk away from mixed martial arts, reaffirming that money had nothing to do with his retirement.
The former UFC lightweight champion, now 37, addressed the suggestion directly, denying the premise outright. While the specifics of his full response were not detailed, he felt strongly enough about the claim to refute it in public. Khabib retired in October 2020 following the death of his father and longtime coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, finishing his career with a perfect 29-0 record. The Russian fighter from the Fightspirit Team is widely regarded as one of the greatest lightweights in the sport's history, having never lost a professional bout. Standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, Khabib was a relentless force in the cage, averaging 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.1 significant strikes landed per minute across his career, with a striking accuracy of 48 percent.
Why it matters
- Khabib's retirement remains one of the most debated decisions in recent MMA history, and any renewed discussion keeps the door open for speculation about a potential return.
- His undefeated record and dominant championship run mean any claim about the circumstances of his retirement carries significant weight in the MMA community.
- By responding publicly, Khabib has reignited conversation around the personal and emotional reasons behind his exit from the sport, namely the loss of his father, rather than business considerations.
