Khabib Nurmagomedov has responded to UFC President Dana White's recent comments about the cause of his MMA retirement, calling White's statement an 'absolute lie.' The former lightweight champion disputes White's version of events surrounding his decision to leave the sport.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has publicly pushed back against UFC President Dana White, labeling White's account of why he retired from mixed martial arts an "absolute lie." The former lightweight champion's comments surfaced on May 22, 2026, reigniting debate over one of the most discussed exits in the sport's history.
Nurmagomedov, 37, finished his career with a perfect 29-0-0 record and remains one of the most dominant fighters to have competed in the lightweight division. The Russian, who trains out of Fightspirit Team, built his legacy on suffocating grappling — averaging 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes — combined with a striking output of 4.1 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. That combination made him a nightmare opponent at 155 pounds throughout his tenure at the top of the division.
The dispute centers on White's characterization of the circumstances behind Nurmagomedov's retirement decision. Khabib has directly contested that version of events, describing it in strong terms as factually untrue. Beyond that framing, no further detail about the specific claims or counter-claims has been confirmed.
Why it matters
- Nurmagomedov retired undefeated, so any public dispute over the terms of that exit carries weight for how his legacy is formally understood.
- A direct public contradiction of the UFC president by one of the promotion's all-time stars is unusual and signals a notable rift.
- The comments keep attention on the lightweight division's historical benchmark at a time when the 155-pound title picture continues to evolve.
