UFC: Dana White ‘not buying’ Khabib Nurmagomedov retirement talk – ‘I can see it in his face’

UFC president Dana White still isn’t giving up hope on getting Khabib Nurmagomedov back in the Octagon.

The undefeated lightweight champ (29-0) announced his shock retirement after submitting Justin Gaethje (22-3) on Fight Island last October. The 32-year-old Russian revealed he promised his mother it would be his last fight following the death of his father and coach Abdulmanap.

White met Nurmagomedov last month for talks in Abu Dhabi before Dustin Poirier (27-6) knocked out Conor McGregor (22-5) at UFC 257, with “The Eagle” demanding his rivals show him something spectacular to coax him back into the cage.

“I’m still gonna meet with him here in Vegas, we’re supposed to go to dinner soon,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto this week. “One thing he says is he doesn’t wanna stall and keep the title in limbo, which he’s not anyway. All these guys need to fight.

“I saw some talk that Dustin should be champion, but Dustin just got smoked by Khabib, Conor just got smoked by Khabib, [Justin] Gaethje just got smoked by Khabib. They’re gonna have to fight this thing out and we’ll find out who the champ is. It’s the best way, then nobody can deny who the best guy in the world is, because they will have all fought.”

Former Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler also threw his hat into the ring, calling out Nurmagomedov after a stunning first-round TKO of Dan “The Hangman” Hooker on his promotional debut in the UFC 257 co-main event.