Khabib Nurmagomedov on Conor McGregor rematch: People just want drama; 99 percent know I win again

Khabib Nurmagomedov continues to reiterate that a Conor McGregor rematch does nothing for him, personally.

UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC)  defeated McGregor at UFC 229, where the pre-fight build up spilled over to a post-fight brawl, leaving many thinking that there’s unfinished business.

But Nurmagomedov, who submitted McGregor in a one-sided affair in the October 2018 contest, thinks nothing that occurred in the bout warrants a rematch, and booking the fight again would just be for the circus that would inevitably surround the event.

“I think people want to see – just continue what happened last time,” Nurmagomedov told TMZ Sports. “They just want to see drama. Like if you ask people, ‘What do you think guys? Who do you think is going to win?’ 99 percent are going to say, ‘Like he did the first time.’ People just want to see big drama show, only for this one.”

While Nurmagomedov does see the perks in a potential rematch with McGregor in terms of pay-per-view sales and overall eyes on the fight, he insists he’s not too interested in any of that.

The 28-0 undefeated lightweight, who’s scheduled to take on Tony Ferguson next at April’s UFC 249, says he’s carving a path toward greatness.

“If we’re talking about money, this is good,” Nurmagomedov said. “If we’re talking about drama, this is good. If we’re talking about real lightweight contender or real lightweight championship fight, this is not good. This is not real lightweight championship fight, but if we talk about drama and money, of course this is good, but I come here to make my legacy.

“For my legacy, I have to beat tough opponents like Dustin Poirier, like (Al) Iaquinta. … Right now, it’s Tony Ferguson. I have to beat all of them who’s real contenders, not fake contenders.”

McGregor made just about as emphatic of a statement as he could in his long-awaited return, when he took out Donald Cerrone at January’s UFC 246 in just 40 seconds. But it was at 170 pounds, and Nurmagomedov says McGregor beating a Cerrone that’s lost more than he’s won in his last 10 fights isn’t going to cut it in terms of earning a title shot.

“He has to fight with really tough opponents like Justin Gaethje or something like this, and he have to come back to lightweight division,” Nurmagomedov said. “He have to cut weight; this is just my opinion.”

“I think he’s ducking tough matchups, not only Justin Gaethje. He just choose, ‘OK, who’s going to be my next fight? Like, I need easy fight.’”