Khabib Gives Timeline On When He’ll Retire From The Sport

Earlier this week, Cain Velasquez officially retired from MMA, after signing with the WWE. And it looks like Cain’s teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov, could be joining him in retirement, in the next couple of years.

Speaking to Arab News (as transcribed by MMA Junkie), Khabib said that he plans to hang up his gloves in the next two or three years, before he suffers his first professional loss in MMA.

“I think a couple of years. Two, three – maximum three. I think maybe two years, in my opinion, because I don’t want to fight all my life because I know it’s very hard. I know a lot of young, hungry guys are coming, and I know to always be undefeated, undisputed, is not almost impossible – I think it’s impossible.

“You can watch in history. If you watch all athletes like soccer, boxing, MMA, everywhere, one day you’re going to lose. You have to know when you need to stop. I think maybe two years.

“Before, I never thought about this – but right now, it’s like I’m almost there. 28-0, and in the next couple of years I’m going to compete because I just [turned] 31. This is not too much for this sport, but for sure I think I’m going to finish [at] 33, 34, it’s going to be done. But right now, I have a couple of years to compete.”

Khabib is set to defend his UFC lightweight title against Tony Ferguson in early 2020. And while the 155lbs champion acknowledges this will be a tough test, he is confident that he will be 29-0 after they meet inside the Octagon.

“I think he’s a very good and tough opponent. He has good experience. I think it’s going to be the same result, (if Allah wills it). This is my opinion. Nothing changed. They just give me all these new opponents with new names, but results, inshallah, are going to stay the same.”

Khabib and Tony have been scheduled to meet four times previously but each time, disaster has struck and the fight hasn’t gone ahead. Khabib is coming off a successful title defence against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242. While Ferguson last fought at UFC 238 in June, when he stopped ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.

Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov will retire from the sport undefeated?


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