Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed UFC offered him $40 million to make UFC comeback

Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired in 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje. At the time, his retirement was a complete surprise and many, including UFC president Dana White, thought he could be coaxed back to the Octagon.

Nurmagomedov spoke to his AKA teammate Daniel Cormier ahead of UFC 295 where the promotion is celebrating 30 years in business. He says, despite his desire to keep a promise to his mother, its been hard to say no to the offers.

“When you best fighter in the world, when you’re strong enough, when you have money, when you famous, it’s very hard to no to all these things,” Nurmagomedov said during an episode of Ultimate 30. “It’s very hard, it’s not easy. It’s not easy just saying no [to] $20, $30, $40,000,000.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov says he 'never regret with my decision. Never' following UFC retirement

“But, for myself it’s not everything,” Nurmagomedov said. “This is not most important. It was not easy decision. But if I decide, I’ve decided it’s finished. I leave this alone. I am happy and like, I never regret with my decision. Never.” 

After his retirement Nurmagomedov said he wanted to spend more time with his family and has since withdrawn from the public eye and even asked for fans to stop asking for him to attend events.

I don’t go to fights, I don’t go to the corner and I completely left everything related to MMA," he wrote on Instagram after his friend Islam Makhachev defended the title. "I ask you to accept my decision the same way as my brothers, friends and sparring partners did. What our team achieved will forever be in the history of MMA."

In September 2022, White said he was still trying to get Nurmagomedov to come back, but even then, he held firm to his retirement.

“I just reached out to him recently to see if he’s interested in something and he’s like, ‘I’m retired, brother. I’m done.’ I don’t think Khabib ever comes back,” White told The Jim Rome Show. “It was something different. I was trying to get him to do a grappling match. He’s like, ‘I’m done, I’m retired.’ I think that when his father passed away, that was a wrap for him. And he’s just focused on training other guys and helping them become world champions.”

Don't hold your breath, if $40 million won't bring him back, probably nothing will.