Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov wants MMA to be Olympic sport

Whether or not one wants to believe that former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0-0) is truly retired following his impressive victory over Justin Gaethje in the main event of October's UFC 254 show is a matter of opinion. 

The 32-year-old is, however, embracing endeavors away from the octagon. 

Nurmagomedov explained on Tuesday during a press conference held in Uzbekistan that he is working to get mixed martial arts approved as a sport contested in the Summer Olympics. 

"The inclusion of MMA in the Olympics is one of my biggest tasks for the next couple of years," Nurmagomedov explained, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "We're already working in this direction."

Nurmagomedov continued: 

"In the Olympics, with boxing, I think they changed the gloves. They don't want there to be a lot of blood. But in terms of sponsorships, TV ratings, viewership, the MMA has it, and if it gets in the Olympics, it will be on par with track and field and soccer in terms of interest. This is my personal opinion. And we're already working in that direction."

Nurmagomedov added that he believes there are "big chances" MMA is included in the 2028 Olympics held in Los Angeles.

The days of MMA being viewed as barbaric and overly dangerous are long gone, as promotions such as the UFC and Bellator have secured lucrative national television broadcast rights in the United States and elsewhere. UFC boss Dana White has been responsible for hosting Saturday cards throughout the coronavirus pandemic since May and has received widespread praise for his handling of COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocols.