Khabib Nurmagomedov’s head coach, Javier Mendez, believes if the Russian is indeed retired, Dustin Poirier should be one-half of a vacant title fight.
In the main event of UFC 257, Poirier is set to rematch Conor McGregor in a fight many believe should be for the vacant title. For Mendez, he thinks that is a possibility but also thinks Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, or Charles Oliveira all deserve a title shot.
“Let’s face it, if in fact he’s not coming back, and we know that for a fact – and I don’t know that – but if in fact he’s not, then the rightful person that should be fighting for the title is Dustin against anybody,” Mendez said on The Schmozone podcast. “So to me, they got one of the right persons in there. Conor would be the second right one, or it could be Justin Gaethje or it could be Michael Chandler. It doesn’t matter. Or (Charles) Oliveira. What matters is that Dustin is in the title hunt because he’s the one that, in my opinion, is most deserving of a title shot.”
As of right now, the lightweight champion is still Khabib Nurmagomedov as Dana White plans on talking to “The Eagle” to try and get him back. Whether or not Nurmagomedov will fight again is still uncertain.
