Khabib Nurmagomedov suggests next UFC opponent for Henry Cejudo must “bring some numbers” to the table

Former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov suggested that the next UFC opponent for Henry Cejudo must “bring some numbers” to the table.

Nurmagomedov has been retired from MMA since earlier this year, and Cejudo has been retired since last summer. Both men hung up their gloves at the top of their games as both fighters were champions who vacated their titles before retiring from the sport. But with both men still in their 30s, there have been suggestions that the right fight could be enough to coax back either Nurmagomedov or Cejudo to the Octagon. Who that fight could be is anyone’s guess, but if the numbers are big enough, a comeback could be in store.

Speaking to ESNews in a recent interview, Nurmagomedov was asked who he thinks Cejudo should fight next. If you ask “The Eagle,” the only way UFC president Dana White is going to lure Cejudo back into the Octagon is if the UFC is able to get a big name to fight him. If the UFC is able to find a star opponent for Cejudo, then perhaps he will fight again.

“I think they need someone to become good, like star, like win and defend a couple times. Bring something.” Nurmagomedov said (h/t MiddleEasy). “(Cejudo) can bring so much to the table but I don’t think someone have, right now in the bantamweight and flyweight, who can bring so much like him to the table. When he gonna go to the cage, he is going to bring Olympic gold medal, flyweight and bantamweight belt you know. What are they going to bring? They have to bring something. This show become all about numbers. You have to bring some numbers. This is what I think.”

Do you agree with Khabib Nurmagomedov that Henry Cejudo should only return if he gets to fight someone who pulls in big numbers?