After his retirement and subsequent shift to coaching in 2020, undefeated UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke of his interest in getting MMA added to the Olympics. “The inclusion of MMA in the Olympics is one of my biggest tasks for the next couple of years. We’re already working in this direction,” he said. Should the UFC also push for the same?

Well, no! At least, according to former UFC heavyweight and podcaster Brendan Schaub who thinks Dana White and the UFC have an ulterior motive to keep it out of the Olympics. Schaub felt that MMA entering the Olympics would not be in the financial interests of Dana White and the UFC. Why? Since the UFC stars would undoubtedly represent their countries at the quadrennial games, it may lead to situations like Jon Jones from America possibly fighting the Cameroonian Francis Ngannou outside the Las Vegas-based promotion.

“So they just could get their own sponsors, [which is] where it gets dicey. This is one of the reasons I don’t think Dana and… the UFC doesn’t push for it is because think about it, Francis [Ngannou] would represent Africa so you could potentially have Francis versus Jon Jones on the Olympic platform,” Schaub said on his podcast.

Ngannou-Jones, of course, is one of the biggest fights in the entire sport of MMA. If happened at the Olympics, it would rob the UFC (and indeed the PFL, where Ngannou is currently signed) of a blockbuster pay-per-view clash.

“And the UFC wouldn’t benefit from it, The Olympics would, which is… way more corrupt than the UFC… You want to talk about fighter pay, they pay them [their athletes] nothing… So the Olympics would make money. [However] Dana would make money you know if John and Francis [only] fought in the UFC,” he added.

MMA is the second biggest combat sport in the world, behind only boxing. With barely three decades of history, MMA is much, much younger than most other combat sports (like judo, karate, kickboxing). But, it has left these sports in the dust in terms of popularity despite MMA’s relative youth.

Another point in favor is that MMA combines many sports already in the Olympics- boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, and kickboxing in one discipline. This of course should mean that the UFC ought to be doing all it can to push for MMA in the quadrennial games, right? Besides, there are several Olympic medal winners who have transitioned to MMA and won titles in and outside the UFC.

While Schaub used Jones-Ngannou as an example, this could potentially be the case across the promotion, with fights off which the Las Vegas-based promotion could make a lot of money actually taking place on the Olympics stage. This, of course, would mean that the UFC actually loses money if MMA becomes an Olympic sport. While this take has a lot of merit given the UFC CEO’s favorable disposition toward money, the latter actually addressed this precise subject in a recent interview, and he had an entirely different view.

Dana White gives his take on MMA in the Olympics

Dana White told UFC fans that he is indeed not making any moves to have MMA in the Olympics, despite his not-insignificant pull and connections in the sporting world. However, contrary to Schaub’s theory, Dana White did say that he wanted to see MMA in the world’s most prestigious sporting event. The UFC CEO felt that this would be mutually beneficial for the sport and the Olympics.

“I think it should be an Olympic sport already. It’s not my job. It’s not what I’m looking to do. I’m not pushing to turn this thing into an Olympic sport. [But] I agree with whoever said that, yes [MMA should be in the Olympics],” White said in a recent Q&A with the fans.

Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov was planning to make big moves. The former lightweight champion once talked the rule changes that MMA would have to undergo if it ever made it to the Olympics. “In the Olympics, with boxing, I think they changed the gloves. They don’t want there to be a lot of blood,” ‘The Eagle’ said. “But in terms of sponsorships, TV ratings, viewership, the MMA has it, and if it gets in the Olympics, it will be on par with track and field and soccer in terms of interest. This is my personal opinion. And we’re already working in that direction.”

The Russain’s archrival Conor McGregor also had a team member who was rooting for the same goal. McGregor’s head coach John Kavanagh is actively involved with the IMMAF (International MMA Federation). Back in 2021, when IMMAF achieved the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) signatory status, the Godfather of Irish MMA said, “This is the biggest story in MMA history. A precursor to Olympic games and recognition from every country’s individual government. THIS is the greatest Christmas present ever.”

The Olympics, of course, has faced plummeting ratings over the past few Games, indicating a loss of interest in the event. White sincerely believes that MMA, one of the most exciting and riveting sports in the entire world, being in the Olympics would certainly help attract more viewers to the event given the inherently electrifying nature of the sport. “You want viewers? Put MMA in the Olympics,” the UFC CEO declared confidently. Do you agree?