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$30 Mln for Khabib’s Epic Rematch with McGregor
12-23-2018
A December 19 article on sport24.ru mentions UFC talking about a potential much awaited epic rematch of Khabib and McGregor.
There has been talks about the rematch ever since McGregor lost the last match on October 6th earlier this year. The UFC’s 229 bout smashed all past UFC pay-per-view records with an estimated 2.4m purchasing reported.
UFC President Dana White wasn’t sure about an immediate rematch between lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.
McGregor's coach, John Kavanagh, and UFC President, Dana White, have both revealed that 'The Notorious' is already crying out for a rematch and that's the most likely outcome according to Las Vegas odds.
Khabib’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has confirmed that they are looking for the biggest money fight possible for Khabib’s next fight. He said, I’m worrying about somebody bringing $50M to $100M to the table and none of these guys can bring $200,000 to the table.”
“I think, as a global superstar, Khabib bypass him. You have a guy meeting with Putin and Erdogan and the other guy selling liquor on the corner store. It’s not even in the f**king same planet. Good for him. Whatever. It’s none of our business, he do what he does. We try to go to Africa, we try to do different things. It’s not even close Abdelaziz said.
“Sure. [Laughing] Come on! They know what’s realistic for them,” said White. “They know the answer to that question. It’s fun to say though, $50 million.”
The latest? Khabib’s father and head coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov telling the Russian media what it will take to get his son back in the cage for a rematch with Conor.
”They are reaching out to us now,” he told Sport24.ru (translated by RT) “You want to fight? Sure, 30 million and we will.”
Allowing Nurmagomedov to fight in Russia would also help when it came to getting the Dagestani native to sign on the dotted line.
”As an active fighter, defending his UFC belt, Khabib has 3-4 fights left,” Abdulmanap said. “I always had this dream - one fight (in Russia). Wherever, whenever, whoever. For the UFC to give us that. And I will be fighting for that right. We’ve spent almost an eternity (in the sport). With injuries, and without them, thinking of retiring, thinking of staying, thinking of the health. We came back, we proved our point, we won it. That is it. There is no motivation left. We won the belt, defended it.”
”Our task is to get prepared, perform and win,” he concluded. “The promotion’s task is to prepare a new contract, which should consider our interests: one fight, wherever, whenever, whoever. We are making a choice and calling it a deal. If in Moscow — then in Moscow. In Sochi — then in Sochi. In St. Petersburg — then in St. Petersburg. In Ekaterinburg — sure.”
Nurmagomedov remains the only UFC champion to hold an undefeated record and he is one of the biggest sports stars in Russia.
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