Even his most ardent fans will acknowledge that Khabib Nurmagomedov retired somewhat prematurely. ‘The Eagle’ after all, retired with only three title defenses and didn’t really get to cement his legacy and status as a front-runner in the GOAT conversation.

But that doesn’t bother Nurmagomedov. The former champ has always maintained that he is more than happy being retired. Even if it came in somewhat unique and peculiar circumstances. After all, ‘The Eagle’ was forced to retire because his mother made him promise her that he would after his father passed away in 2020. Since then, there have been periodic rumors, at least once every year, that Nurmagomedov may be mulling a comeback.

Only for ‘The Eagle’ to immediately shut them down. And now it seems the former UFC champ really has no motivation to come back because of one important factor- his teammates and students’ continued success.

“They [the UFC] tried [to get me out of retirement]. They called, tried, but I have finished my career. I have brothers, students, they perform and I am focused on them and they’re the best in [the world]. There is no reason in the world for my return. We hold all the belts in all the divisions, in all organizations throughout the world. So why should I come back?” Nurmagomedov asked rhetorically in a recent interview.

Just to substantiate what Khabib is saying, his best friend and protege Islam Makhachev is the UFC’s lightweight champ and looks nigh unbeatable at the moment. One of Khabib’s cousin is a Bellator MMA champ, while his other cousin is en route to a UFC bantamweight title shot in the near future, perhaps by next year. And it seems Khabib is just happy to see them succeed, reach the top, and be recognized as the best, all of which ‘The Eagle’ has done already. This is why ‘The Eagle’ is more excited than anyone else to see his most illustrious teammate get close to one of his records.

Khabib Nurmagoemdov reveals Islam Makhachev comeback status

In the same interview, Khabib Nuramgomedov revealed Islam Makhachev’s status. The Makhachkala native, of course, is temporarily out of action due to a torn ligament in his hand and a subsequent illness. Since Makhachev is the biggest Muslim star in the promotion, he was originally set to fight in Abu Dhabi on UFC 308 this October. But that is out of the question now, making many curious when the lightweight champ will be back.

However, there is good news—Khabib confirmed that Makhachev will return to the octagon in January 2025, defending his lightweight belt for the fourth time at UFC 311. His next opponent? The relentless #1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan, unless the UFC throws in a last-minute twist.

Adding to the excitement, Khabib himself will be in the corner, guiding Makhachev through camp. Though Khabib retired from fighting and even limited his coaching duties, his loyalty to Makhachev remains unbroken. For fans, this only intensifies the excitement—not only seeing Makhachev’s return but also wondering if Khabib’s involvement might reignite his competitive spirit.

Could the intensity of the Tsarukyan challenge tempt Khabib to step back into the octagon? Share your thoughts—is ‘The Eagle’ truly done with fighting, or is the fire still there, just waiting for the right spark?