UFC president Dana White suggests UFC lightweight competition is up for grabs despite Khabib Nurmagomedov’s status as the undisputed champion on record.
BT Sport journalist Caroline Pearce questioned Dana White about the status of the lightweight title as a result of the UFC’s continued efforts to bring retired retired champion Khabib Nurmagomedov back to the octagon. White told Pearce that, despite being a high-heavy division with some of the best fights, the lightweight division is not waking up Nurmagomedov enough to continue his fighting career. While he also said that Khabib ‘s position as the current lightweight titleman will not preclude the coronation of the next champion, he suggests that the fight for the empty belt can be pitched between active fighters.
“I’m just talking to Khabib becasue … I think he has a lot left. Khabib is the best in the world with a long bullet, he’s the camp … I’m hope to see that (amazing performances from other light fixtures) … There have been some amazing shows. But it’s like, ‘Dana come on. Be honest. Check this out.’ Check out his fight with Justin Gaethje, his fight with Conor (McGregor) … We’ll see how this thing plays out … It doesn’t sustain the split These people have to fight, there’s no split-up at all, I mean if you look at (Dustin) Poirier, he’s number one, and watch his fight with Khabib, “said Dana White.
The UFC light division is wide open after Khabib retired in October 2020. However, the UFC has not removed the native Dagestan from its title and its No.1 position in the pound-for-rankings punnd. Khabib is a unique combination of critical combat and marketing skills, which is an area of interest for the UFC. However, none of the opponents have been able to put up a competitive fight against Khabib in his unintentional 29-fight career, which is the main reason behind the Iolaire’s lack of interest in combat.
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Published 11 March 2021, 04:52 IST