Khabib Nurmagomedov’s return to the octagon is looking less likely following UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, according to Dana White, the promotion’s president.
The lightweight champion, 32, retired in October immediately following his victory against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, which also took place in the UAE capital. However, speculation has continued that he would come back, mostly because White had been teasing it.
The UFC president met with Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi on January 15, on the eve of the latest Fight Island series, and later said that the unbeaten Dagestani would reconsider his decision should he see "something spectacular" from either of the two lightweight bouts at UFC 257.
The card at Etihad Arena was headlined by Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, with Poirier winning by second-round TKO. Meanwhile, Michael Chandler marked his UFC debut with an emphatic first-round TKO of Dan Hooker.
Yet White told the media after the event that he had already spoken to Nurmagomedov, and that his return “doesn’t sound very positive”. Nurmagomedov’s professional record stands at 29-0.
“He said to me, ‘Dana, be honest with yourself. I’m so many levels above these guys. I beat these guys'," White said. "But it doesn’t sound very positive, so we’ll see. But what I said before - he won’t hold the division up.”
Nurmagomedov, who defeated McGregor in their money-spinning 2018 match-up, later took to social media, in an apparent jibe at his long-time rival.
The post read: "This is what happened when you change your team, leave your sparring partners who made you champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.”
Reacting to that in the post-fight press conference, McGregor said: “My team has been the team since Day 1. I have not changed anything. It is what it is. Respect the athletes.
"That’s the character of the man, for sure, behind the mask. Whatever, what’s he want to do? Does he want to come back or no? … If he wants to have his disrespectful comments, come back and let’s go again, my man. I’m here for it. That’s fighting talk.”
White said Poirier and Chandler would most probably meet next for the title, should Nurmagomedov remain retired. Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion, lost to Nurmagomedov in their unification clash in Abu Dhabi in September 2019.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
