“Mentally We Are Close”: 2 Years After His Retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals if He Ever Considered a Comeback Like Michael Jordan Did After the NBA Legend’s Father Passed Away

To stay undefeated in the fight game is not easy, especially when the sport is as unpredictable as mixed martial arts. And competing becomes even tougher when you are fighting in the UFC, which is one of the most competitive MMA organizations in the world. However, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the only fighter in the UFC that retired in his prime with an undefeated record of 29-0.

With that in mind, it is understandable why Khabib’s potential comeback has generated so much interest. The Dagestani native recently appeared alongside Patrick Bet-David and clarified questions regarding his retirement. The fighter also talked about his similarities with Michael Jordan.

Khabib Nurmagomedov on MJ’s ‘Last Dance’

In a recent interview with Patrick Bet-David, Khabib offered fans a rare glimpse into his mind. The former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov opened up about his retirement and whether he ever considered a comeback like Michael Jordan did after the NBA legend’s father passed away.

“First of all, I am not MJ,” Nurmagomedov said. “And of course, I watch the documentary. It’s the best ever I’ve watched.”

The documentary that Nurmagomedov is referring to is ‘The Last Dance,’ which highlights Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls. In one episode of the documentary, Jordan breaks down in tears after his father, James Jordan, is murdered.

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Khabib said that this particular episode of the documentary “really touched my heart.” However, he said that he does not think he would ever make a comeback like Jordan did.

Speaking about his return to MMA, Khabib said, “I don’t think so,” Nurmagomedov said. “Because I don’t know… a lot of things come to my mind. First of all, because of my mother. I don’t think so.”

Same mentality as Michael Jordan

Although Nurmagomedov has ruled out a comeback, he did say that he is still mentally tough like Jordan. “I think… like mentally we are close, maybe he’s better,” Nurmagomedov said. “Maybe because I am his fan, maybe that’s why I think he is better. I am sure we are close… everything he said, what he was doing, all his episodes… I have this.”

Nurmagomedov retired from UFC in 2020 after the death of his father. He finished his career with an undefeated record of 29-0. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and holds notable wins over Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.

Concluding his thoughts on retirement, Khabib stated, “About a comeback… I am not sure… it doesn’t make sense to me… people want to see this…” Khabib continued by saying, “People want drama, people want the movie to keep continuing. Right now I am full.”

It remains to be seen whether Khabib Nurmagomedov will ever change his mind about a comeback. Nevertheless, it is evident that he remains a mentally tough individual, and he holds a great deal of respect for Michael Jordan.

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