Khabib Nurmagomedov reacted to Georges St-Pierre’s belief he could have beaten him.
Speculation emerged that Khabib could have reversed his retirement to face GSP. Nurmagomedov has not fought since beating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in 2020. Following the passing of his father, Khabib made a promise to his mother to never fight again. He retired with an undefeated 29-0 record, making him one of the greatest UFC fighters. Nurmagomedov did call out GSP in 2019, saying he wanted the fight if the Canadian could make 155 pounds.
“George St Pierre is great. A great guy, great champion, and a great athlete. he is very good example for young kids. I know he is retired, but if he wanna come back and if he feel hungry and if he feel he can improve his legacy with fight with me and he can make 155, I am waiting for him,” Khabib said
While there was talk of a fight, it never happened. Khabib did respond to Georges St-Pierre’s following comments.
GSP vs Khabib
“I think Khabib could have beat me, I’m not saying I could have beat Khabib all the time. I was confident enough to take that fight that I was thinking that if I take that fight I’m going to beat him that day at that particular place, that doesn’t mean I will beat him all the time. But I was confident, maybe I’m wrong. I think I would have beat him because if he would have come to put pressure on me, I would have put him down. I would have had the confidence to try to go for it…
“So my strategy if I would have gone against Khabib would have been to keep the fight as much as I can in the middle and not be afraid to go to take him down. I think that I would have maybe been the first guy that he fought or one of the only guys that would have tried to put him down, and I’ve put down everybody that I’ve fought,” St-Pierre stated
GSP’s Return
There were suggestions that GSP could have returned at UFC 300. He had been linked with a fight against Nick Diaz, whom he had already beaten at UFC 158 in 2013 via unanimous decision. Although that may have been the case, St-Pierre was clear that there was nothing to the rumors. He admitted that he was no longer the same fighter at his peak, accepting that he would never return.
“I’m 42 years old. I’m not the same person I used to be when I was competing. There was a time I had an incredible drive, I wanted to become champion. Nothing in the world could stop me. Like mentally, I was unstoppable. I had a crazy, crazy drive. If a door was closed, I was going to open another door; if two doors were closed, I was going to get in by force. I was ready to do almost anything to achieve my goal, but I’m not that person anymore,” GSP revealed
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