The UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever step foot inside the octagon, thanks to his flawless 29-0 record. Even in retirement, fans eagerly anticipate the possibility of him facing off against formidable opponents like Georges St-Pierre and Charles Oliveira. During a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, a UFC champion floated the idea of a Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Charles Oliveira showdown. However, podcast host Joe Rogan expressed his reservations about the matchup.
The former UFC lightweight champion dominated numerous opponents, including strikers and wrestlers, in the lightweight division. By doing so, he solidified his status as a great in the sport. Nevertheless, a few additional victories against great fighters would have silenced his naysayers completely.
Joe Rogan denies Charles Oliveira vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov possibility
The idea for the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Charles Oliveira fight was initially proposed by none other than the new UFC bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley.
O’Malley was a recent guest on Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, where he made some points for Do Bronx’s upcoming clash against Islam Makhachev. ‘Sugar’ desired to see Oliveira win against Makhachev and after their trilogy fight, call out ‘The Eagle’. O’Malley Said:
“But, I would love to see Charles Oliveira fu*king win. That would make for a huge trilogy. Maybe call Khabib out. No, there’s no shot.”
However, the podcast host, who is also a devoted fan of the Dagestani fighter, dismissed the notion. Rogan said:
“That’s not going to happen.“
The 56-year-old raised a valid point, noting that Nurmagomedov himself has repeatedly refuted the possibility of a U-turn. In the past, ‘The Eagle’ has asserted that he has nothing more to prove as a fighter in the sport.
Why Khabib retired and is unlikely to return
The former UFC lightweight champion hung up his gloves after defending his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 back in 2020. After his father’s passing, ‘The Eagle’ chose to retire as a fighter. Despite numerous offers, the Dagestani remained true to a promise made to his mother.
According to an MMA Fighting report, ‘The Eagle’ stated that he has nothing left to prove as an MMA fighter. As a result, he doesn’t foresee himself competing again. He said:
“Right now, I feel I don’t have nothing to prove, to show people who I am. I do everything in this sport. I feel I don’t need to do nothing.“
Nurmagomedov has served as a coach, assisting Islam Makhachev in his quest for the UFC lightweight title. However, he has since abandoned that idea, making it highly unlikely that we will see him in anyone’s corner.
Despite occasional criticism directed at him, Khabib Nurmagomedov has achieved enough to inside the octagon to be regarded as one of the most decorated and dominant UFC fighters of all time.
