UFC 257: Conor McGregor insists Khabib Nurmagomedov 'afraid to fight me ... I don't blame him'

Former two-weight champion makes return to the Octagon on Sunday against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi

Oct 6, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Conor McGregor (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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Conor McGregor believes Khabib Nurmagomedov’s decision to retire is because he’s 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’s surrounding things regarding the family. If he’s retired then, that’s it, 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 next 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.

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McGregor destroys Cerrone at UFC 246

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Nurmagomedov has apparently told UFC president Dana White that he will be keeping a close eye on UFC 257, which features also a clash between Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker, then decide if he’d like to come out of retirement. The event brings to a close a third Fight Island series in the capital.

“His hand is showing he’s not a true fighter, in my opinion,” McGregor said. “I mean how could you retire? How could you walk away? There’s so many fights to be had.

“Think of [Nate] Diaz, [Tony] Ferguson, there’s [Charles] Oliveira, the rematch with me. It’s just preposterous to walk away. I think he showed his hand, but then at the same time, there’s family issues. So it is what it is. All the best.”

On a potential rematch, McGregor added: “I’m here for it. I would like 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.”

Fight Island Triple Header continues on Wednesday with the second of its three events at the newly opened Etihad Arena. The card is headlined by Michael Cheese's welterweight bout with Neil Magny.

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Nurmagomedov stops Gaethje at UFC 254