ABU DHABI – When UFC President Dana White and lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov met behind closed doors on Friday, a handful of potential names were discussed to come out of retirement. Former UFC welterweight and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was not among them.
UFC lightweight contenders Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Dan Hooker and Charles Oliveira were among the possible opponents presented by Nurmagomedov (MMA 29-0, UFC 13-0) if he returns. However, St. Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) was not named because the ship sailed because no fighters were interested.
“No,” White said on Saturday at the UFC post-fight press conference on ABC 1. “GSP never came. (Nurmagomedov) is not interested in that fight. From what I heard today, after that, not even GSP. So it’s over. “
Nurmagomedov and St-Pierre have expressed an interest in fighting each other in the past. Before the record 29-0 win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 last October, Nurmagomedov chose St-Pierre as the ideal opponent for his 30th fight.
After Nurmagomedov’s retirement, St-Pierre avoided questions about whether or not he would have accepted the fight if it had been offered and if Nurmagomedov had not announced his retirement in the cage.
As for what lies ahead for Nurmagomedov, White revealed during the UFC broadcast on ABC 1 that the champion will make the final decision after UFC 257 on January 23. He wants to see if any performance impresses him and makes him want to come back to No. 30.
Nurmagomedov will fly to Las Vegas next week. After UFC 257 is completed, White will follow suit. The two must have dinner and discuss Nurmagomedov’s final decision over dinner shortly thereafter. This time, White hopes he will finally get a yes or no answer.
“He’s taking turns on Wednesday and then he leaves,” White said. “He leaves and goes to Las Vegas. I will fight and fly home on Sunday, and I will see you again in Vegas. Those struggles will be over. He and I are going to meet, have dinner in Vegas and talk again. We will make a decision. The only thing he said was, ‘I will not delay the division.’ “