Khabib Nurmagomedov elaborates on new terms for Conor McGregor rematch

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is willing to give Conor McGregor a rematch if the Irish MMA star gets by Dustin Poirier.

Nurmagomedov and McGregor fought in 2018, in the main event of UFC 229, which went down as the most successful pay-per-view in the organization’s history. In that fight Nurmagomedov defended his title against McGregor with a fourth-round submission victory.

Since then, McGregor has repeatedly expressed interest in a rematch, while Nurmagomedov and his team have been hesitant to grant the trash-talking Irishman that opportunity.

Speaking at a recent press conference in his native Russia, however, Nurmagomedov changed his tune a bit.

Nurmagomedov is currently scheduled to defend his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 on October 24. If he wins that fight, he’s hoping to fight Georges St-Pierre next.

However, if St-Pierre isn’t available, Nurmagomedov says he’d be willing to fight McGregor or Tony Ferguson next—so long as they’re able to get by Dustin Poirier first.

“If I don’t fight St-Pierre, I’d fight anyone who beats Dustin Poirier next, whether it’s Tony Ferguson or McGregor, after I fight Gaethje,” Nurmagomedov said (via RT Sport). “That’s if I don’t fight Georges St-Pierre. If he comes back to the UFC and agrees to fight me, I’m fighting him. Why? Because the last time he lost was 2007. My career started in 2008. Together we’ve been undefeated for 25 years. I’m talking in terms of time, not fights. I don’t think the UFC will get another chance to make a fight like that, definitely not in the next 10 years.

“So Georges St-Pierre is next,” Nurmagomedov added. “If not, let Conor beat Poirier, or have Tony beat him, then I’ll fight them. Why? Because right now Poirier is the next contender. We already fought and I beat him, then he came back and beat a top-five guy [Dan Hooker]. So if Conor and Tony beat Poirier, I’ll fight them if I don’t fight Georges St-Pierre.”

Do you think we’ll see a blockbuster rematch between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor down the road?