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- Khabib Nurmagomedov has talked-up a lucrative rematch against Conor McGregor.
- The Russian wrestler, unbeaten in 27 mixed martial arts bouts, defends his UFC lightweight title in September.
- And Nurmagomedov is now looking at what could be next.
- He said there are still a lot of fights out there for him, but that his October 6 victory over McGregor has not settled their rivalry.
- Nurmagomedov hinted at unfinished business.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken of unfinished business with Conor McGregor, appearing to hint at what would be a massively lucrative rematch for the UFC.
The lightweights have one of the most compelling rivalries in mixed martial arts. It is a rivalry that includes police charges, community service, and anger management classes.
It includes a wild brawl at UFC 229 last October, where Nurmagomedov dropped and stopped McGregor with a face-distorting neck crank, which capped the best-selling event in the company’s history.
Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
And it is one that continues to this day because of a controversial Twitter war featuring a rape accusation and Islamophobic posts.
The UFC president Dana White has continually talked-up a potential second fight throughout the year, with McGregor also eager to settle the score.
Read more: Conor McGregor’s status as a lightweight contender makes a complete mockery of UFC rankings
And now Nurmagomedov, who is preparing to defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier in September, is looking ahead at what’s next.
"So we have not finished yet, what was on October 6," Nurmagomedov said on his official YouTube channel. "We still have a lot of fights, not a few years, so we plan to write more history and show that we are here, yes."
Nurmagomedov has not fought since his submission win over McGregor. It was a victory he refused to celebrate, instead choosing to mount the fence and charge at McGregor’s cageside friend Dillon Danis.
While that was going on, people on Nurmagomedov’s team jumped into the Octagon and exchanged punches with McGregor.
McGregor got slapped with a $50,000 fine and a six-month ban backdated to October at a Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing in January, where Nurmagomedov was hit with a much heftier $500,000 fine and a nine-month ban.
Read more: Conor McGregor’s ’embarrassing’ behavior means trash talk should be policed, fight regulator says
Nurmagomedov is an expert judoka, sambo practitioner, and wrestler who is unbeaten in 27 mixed martial arts bouts.
He won his UFC lightweight belt when he outpointed Al Iaquinta in April, last year. He successfully defended the title against McGregor, and makes the second defense of the strap in Abu Dhabi when he faces Poirier later in the year.
See Also:
- Conor McGregor’s status as a lightweight contender makes a complete mockery of UFC rankings
- A UFC fighter’s eye swelled shut so badly after he tried to blow his nose that they had to stop the fight
- Khabib Nurmagomedov is officially set for his first fight since defeating Conor McGregor — and it comes against an opponent on a vicious 5-fight win streak
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Alan Dawson)