Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz believes his fighter has at least two more bouts left in him.
Nurmagomedov, who is the UFC lightweight champion, is set to take on interim title holder Justin Gaethje on Oct. 24 in a title unification bout. The bout will headline UFC 254. A location has not been revealed at this time.
Ali Abdelaziz Talks Khabib’s Future
Abdelaziz spoke to BJPenn.com and weighed in on Nurmagomedov’s future if he emerges victorious over Gaethje.
“Khabib is in his prime,” Abdelaziz told BJPENN.com on Thursday. “He’s training every day. He’s in great shape already. At the end of the day, it’s up to Khabib [if he continues to fight]. I know he’ll probably fight to at least 30-0, but of course, he has to fight Justin first. This is the most important fight for Khabib. It’s the most important for Justin. You can’t look past October 24, out of respect for Justin, out of respect for Khabib. This is a great fight, a very competitive fight, and both guys are going to deliver.”
Many have speculated that Nurmagomedov will hang up his gloves if he wins his next two fights. If he accomplishes this, he would be 30-0. The thought of going out on top in the sport of MMA rarely comes to fruition. There’s no doubt Nurmagomedov’s legacy would be sealed if he can do just that.
For now, he’s got one tough challenger waiting for him. Gaethje is riding a four-fight winning streak. In that span, he’s beaten Tony Ferguson, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Edson Barboza, and James Vick. All four bouts ended via knockout or TKO.
