"We see you" - Khabib Nurmagomedov's message to Alexander Volkanovski pre-UFC 294 echoed claims of money-grab

UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov joined former teammate and longtime friend Islam Makhachev in his second lightweight title defense against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294.

Nurmagomedov spoke in the build-up to the fight and delved into Volkanovski's psyche and stated that the primary motivation behind accepting this matchup was for 'the Great' was money.

In an Anatomy of a Fighter video uploaded to YouTube, Nurmagomedov spoke about the difference in approach from Volkanovski in the UFC 294 fight compared to his first challenge against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284.

“I know Volkanovski’s very tough, mentally everything but he’s not ready. This fight for him is motivation, money. Last fight was legacy, I agree. He fight with heart, he was ready but this fight, short notice. He talk about I’m gonna knock him out, I don’t want like all five rounds. This is like, we see you Volk, we see you. Just be ready.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments prompted Islam Makhachev to levy the same allegations against Alexander Volkanovski in the press conference ahead of the fight.

Makahchev won the fight with a stunning Performance of the Night worthy knockout, catching Volkanovski with a head kick and following up with strikes, prompting the referee to call an end to the bout..

Check out Nurmagomedov's full comments in the video below:

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Khabib Nurmagomedov explains his absence from Islam Makhachev's corner

Khabib Nurmagomedov was not a part of Islam Makhachev's corner or his entourage that accompanied him to the octagon for the UFC 294 main event.

Nurmagomedov was also absent for Makhachev's last fight at UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. This was part of his decision to distance himself from mixed martial arts this year and focus on his personal life and family more.

'The Eagle' explained his reasoning in an Instagram post and reiterated his decision to stay away from mixed martial arts. He also maintained that his team and contingent from Dagestan will forever be etched in history for their dominance and superiority on the mat.

"If you guys ask me where have I been? Why wasn’t I in the corner, I already answered this question, I don’t go to fights, I don’t go to the corner and I completely left everything related to MMA. I ask you to accept my decision the same way as my brothers, friends and sparring partners did. What our team achieved will forever be in the history of MMA."

Check out Nurmagomedov's post on Instagram below: