Khabib Nurmagomedov believes the road to redemption is still open for Conor McGregor.
The Notorious’ has not fought inside the Octagon since suffering a broken leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier back in July 2021. Since then, McGregor’s legacy as a former two-division titleholder has been overshadowed by legal battles.
In November, McGregor was found liable for the 2018 rape of a woman at a Dublin hotel and ordered to pay $285,000 in damages to the victim on top of over a million dollars in legal fees. McGregor immediately declared that he would appeal the court’s decision. The court rejected McGregor’s appeal in July, meaning the original verdict and the associated damages remain in place.
Amid the chaos that is his life, McGregor also declared himself a candidate for the presidency of Ireland.
But despite all the drugs, drama, and infidelity, McGregor’s fiercest rival believes there’s still a chance for the Irish megastar to turn things around and get his life right.
“I don’t want to mention his name,” Nurmagomedov said during a Q&A session. “This is punishment, this is punishment. And he keeps doing this, keeps doing this, keeps doing this. Everything that happened […] woman this, alcohol this, drugs, everything.”
Conor McGregor still has the chance to ‘come back’
McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s memorable lightweight title clash in October 2018 still holds the record for the most watched fight in UFC history, generating more than 2.4 million buys and a $17.1 million gate.
“But the most beautiful part of this [is] Allah always gives for us – it doesn’t matter, anybody, everybody – a chance to come back,” Nurmagomedov continued. “Always, in this world, a chance to come back.
“This is the most beautiful thing. It doesn’t matter how you’re bad, Allah is going to give you a chance to always come back. I think he has a chance, and he has to change the way how he’s living. Why am I talking about this? […] If he’s going to change, he can change with him so many lives, too. And that’s why I wish him to change himself.”
Nurmagomedov choked out McGregor in the fourth round of their UFC 229 headliner seven years ago, but their rivalry still burns bright, with the Irishman reguarly taking digs and ‘The Eagle’ in interviews and on social media.
