Dana White is holding firm on his belief that lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight again despite his recent retirement announcement, and as such he’s ruling out the possibility of a rumored rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier being for the title.
White’s belief in Khabib’s return gained credibility earlier this week when ‘The Eagle’ revealed that he was still part of the USADA drug-testing program that all active UFC fighters have to be a part of, though apparently that wasn’t the reason the UFC President was so confident of a comeback.
“I didn’t know [the USADA test] happened,” White told reporters. “I told you guys that I think he’s gonna go to [30-0]. If he’s still testing, why the hell would you want to test if you’re not gonna fight?
“He hasn’t committed, but I feel like he’s gonna. I’m not really pushing him. We talked about it and he just fought. Let him take some time, spend some time with his family, spend the holidays. There’s no rush.”
When asked about the implications of Khabib fighting again on the in-the-works McGregor vs. Poirier bout that’s been targeted for early 2021, White made it clear that competing for the belt is off the table.
“No, [it won’t be for the title],” White confirmed. “Khabib’s gonna fight (again). I believe he’s gonna fight. It’s not for the title.”
