Khabib Nurmagomedov Sets Terms For Possible UFC Return: It Will Take 'Something Special,' Says White

KEY POINTS

Khabib Nurmagomedov may return if he is impressed with the lightweight matches at UFC 257, Dana White suggests
Nurmagomedov may cross paths with old foe Conor McGregor
Nurmagomedov is keeping an open mind but still needs his mother's approval to return

Khabib Nurmagomedov is not closing the door on a potential UFC return and upcoming lightweight bouts could change his mind, according to UFC president Dana White. These lightweight division showdowns will pit Conor McGregor against Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker against Michael Chandler.

White has been talking to the undefeated UFC lightweight champion, and Nurmagomedov potentially returning to the cage was unsurprisingly one of the topics, ESPN reported. It appears talks went well, and the Russian is keeping an open mind.

"If these guys could do something special, Khabib will fight them," White shared Saturday on the UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar broadcast from Abu Dhabi.

Dana White revealed the new UFC 230 main event was the fight to make. In this picture, White takes questions from the media during the UFC 229 Press Conference at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Sept. 20, 2018. Steven Ryan/Getty Images

Nurmagomedov is currently on hiatus, retiring abruptly following his 29th win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020. White is confident that he will unretire at some point to fulfill his father’s wish of making it 30-0.

Hence, there could be a lot riding on UFC 257, although Nurmagomedov will have the last say. For now, he is busy attending to his promotion, Eagle FC. Also, a comeback would depend on whether the 32-year-old’s mother gives her blessing for a Nurmagomedov return.

In a previous report, he mentioned that he will be in attendance when the upcoming event happens and is aware that calls for him to return will be coming.

But aside from that, there is a chance he could run into McGregor during the event. There is no telling if things could get rowdy, but it appears Nurmagomedov is not worried about them crossing paths.

"I'll act based on the situation. If you don't like someone or they don't like you, it's OK. If I meet someone I don't like, I'll act based on the situation," Nurmadomedov quipped.

Of the UFC fighters seeing action at UFC 257, McGregor is perhaps the only one who can pique the interest of the Russian. Hence, it won’t be surprising if “The Notorious” throws some verbal jabs at “The Eagle” to spark something—unless something is already in the works.

"Maybe [they could]. They're able to do that," Nurmagomedov said last year of UFC possibly engineering a meeting between him and McGregor. "Anything can happen. It could be Moscow, Abu Dhabi, New York... Believe me, they're the best at that. No one compares to them [the UFC]."