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Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov is arguably one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time. The former UFC lightweight champion retired with an undefeated 29-0 record and was dominant during his UFC tenure.
Nurmagomedov would take his opponents down at will and while on the ground, would speak to them as he punched them. He would then repeat that either for the full duration of the fight or submit them. Khabib was winning his fights so decisively that he looked unbeatable. Even against opponents with knockout power like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje, he took their big shots and still won.
Nurmagomedov will absolutely be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame one day for his fighting career and contributions to MMA. 'The Eagle' has transitioned to a coaching role since retiring and looks to be thriving at that as well. Although Khabib had a legendary career, there were still big fights left on the table. This list will look at 5 Khabib Nurmagomedov fights that never happened.
#5. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor 2
Kicking off this list of Khabib Nurmagomedov fights that never happened is a rematch with former UFC two-division Conor McGregor. At UFC 229, Khabib submitted McGregor with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round. However, what took place following the bout overshadowed Nurmagomedov's incredible performance.
Nurmagomedov immediately jumped over the cage and went after McGregor’s teammates, which resulted in a brawl ensuing between both corners. Based on what transpired at UFC 229, a rematch between Khabib and McGregor would’ve been the biggest in UFC history. Both men clearly weren’t ready to let bygones be bygones and continued the trash talk on social media.
UFC President Dana White put in a strong effort to persuade Khabib to accept the rematch, but ‘The Eagle’ wasn’t interested. Back in January, White said that Khabib would entertain another bout if there was an impressive performance at UFC 257. McGregor fought Dustin Poirier in the main event, but came up short as he was defeated by second-round TKO. As a result, Khabib closed that chapter of his career for good.
It would’ve been interesting to see where Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor 2 would’ve taken place. White has teased the idea of AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas as a possible destination for super fights in the past. The 100,000+ seat stadium would’ve been the perfect venue for that rivalry.
#4. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Charles Oliveira
Another Khabib Nurmagomedov fight that never happened was Khabib vs Charles Oliveira. The current UFC lightweight champion and former champion could’ve settled the debate on who the better grappler is.
Since Nurmagomedov vacated his lightweight championship and officially retired, Oliveira has taken over the division. ‘Do Bronx’ is currently on a 9-fight winning streak and holds the record for most finishes in UFC history. Oliveira showcased his grappling in his win over Tony Ferguson and showed his resilience in his TKO win over Michael Chandler.
Oliveira would make for an intriguing matchup against Nurmagomedov. The high-level grappling of both fighters would make things interesting. Nurmagomedov had a close call in his title defense over Dustin Poirier, which saw him narrowly escape a guillotine-choke. Perhaps if it had been Oliveira in that position, he might’ve been able to hand Khabib his first career loss.
#3. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Max Holloway
Another fight that never ended up happening was Nurmagomedov vs Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.
At UFC 223, Khabib was originally scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson, however, Ferguson was forced to withdraw due to an injury. The promotion looked for last-minute replacements to step in and featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway answered the call. Holloway was about to attempt what many felt seemed impossible. He stepped in on short-notice to fight the undefeated Khabib for a chance to become a two-division UFC champion.
Everything looked like it was going according to plan. A new poster was made and both fighters took part in an entertaining press-conference. However, plans changed once again. The commission felt Holloway wouldn’t be able to make 155lbs safely and stopped his weight-cut.
It looked like former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis might step in, however that fight didn’t materialize either. Nurmagomedov still fought at UFC 223 when Al Iaquinta stepped in and the fight was set to be the new main event. Nurmagomedov defeated Iaquinta by unanimous decision to win the vacant UFC lightweight championship and remained undefeated.
#2. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Georges St-Pierre
One of the biggest Khabib Nurmagomedov fights that never happened was Khabib vs Georges St-Pierre.
It's a shame that the rumored fight between Nurmagomedov and St-Pierre never materialized. In 2019, St-Pierre held a press conference where he officially announced his retirement from the sport. The former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all-time.
St-Pierre was content with the way his career ended. He returned for a bout with Michael Bisping at UFC 217, where he became UFC middleweight champion after a third-round submission. During his retirement press-conference, St-Pierre made some interesting comments. 'Rush' stated that he was trying to put a fight together with Nurmagomedov, but the UFC was against it.
St-Pierre wasn't looking for money fights or taking on top contenders as he felt he was past that. Instead, St-Pierre only wanted to compete in fights that would do something for his legacy in the sport. A fight with Nurmagomedov would've done just that as he believed 'The Eagle' had an aura of invicibility. GSP felt that'd be the only fight for him and wanted the opportunity to make history and become a three-division champion.
#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
Topping this list of Khabib Nurmagomedov fights that never happened was Nurmgomedov vs. Tony Ferguson. The fight between two of the best lightweights in the world was just never meant to be. For years, the UFC had attempted to book Nurmgomedov vs. Ferguson, but each time the fight was canceled.
Even if they made it to fight week, something would happen in the final moments that stopped it from becoming a reality. The UFC had booked the fight and canceled it on five occasions. Each time it was for a different reason. Failed weight cuts, freak injuries, and a global pandemic are the reasons why the bout never came to fruition five-times.
Many fans look back at UFC 229 and wonder if the fight would've happened if it was booked that night. Khabib and Tony both made weight and fought that night, but it wasn't against each other. Khabib successfully defended his UFC lightweight title against Conor McGregor and Tony defeated Anthony Pettis by TKO due to a corner stoppage.
Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson remains the biggest fight of both men's careers that has never happened. It would've been interesting to see how the bout would've played out as their styles seemed to match quite well.
