Nurmagomedov clarifies his retirement plans

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov said he has around two or three years left before he plans to retire from the sport.

The words from Khabib, come shortly after his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, said the undefeated lightweight could retire after his next two fights in the Octagon. Khabib has only fought once in 2019, defending his title aginst Dustin Poirier last month at UFC 242. He said he wants to return in March or April of next year to fight Tony Ferguson.

"I think a couple years. Two or three years, maximum three. I think maybe two years is my opinion," Nurmagomedov told Arab News about his future.

"Because I don’t want to fight all my life, because I know it’s very hard, and I know a lot of new hungry guys are coming, and I know to always be undefeated, undisputed, this is not almost impossible, I think it’s impossible. Because you can watch in history, like soccer, boxing, MMA, everywhere, one day you’re going to lose. You have to know when you need to stop. I think maybe two years," BloodyElbow cited the Russian champion as saying.

"I am focusing on this, before I never thought about this, but right now I’m thinking I’m almost there," Nurmagomedov said. "28-0 and in the next couple years I’m going to compete because I just became 31 years old, that is not too much for this sport, but for sure I think I’m going to finish, 33 or 34 fights it’s gonna be done."