UFC: Khabib Nurmagomedov buys Gorilla Fighting Championship (Report)

Sep 20, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov during a press conference for UFC 229 at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

There is some news that has come out involving UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, the news isn’t about his return to the promotion, but instead, it’s about his interest in becoming a promoter.

Per a report by RT, the UFC lightweight champion has purchased Gorilla Fighting Championship for an estimated $1 million. The Russian based mixed martial arts promotion has hosted over 30 events in the Middle East.

There has been no word on exactly what the future holds for Nurmagomedov. Back in October at UFC 254, Nurmagomedov stormed through Justin Gaethje to retain his lightweight championship. After the fight, Khabib laid his gloves in the octagon and retired. 

Since then, we haven’t been sure about what was next. Nurmagomedov remained adamant that he was staying retired. However, UFC President Dana White is convinced that Nurmagomedov will come back to try to get to that magical 30-0 that was his father’s dream.

Up until this point, there has not been any serious discussions regarding Khabib’s fighting future. Nurmagomedov posted on Instagram a picture of him and White with the cryptic message of, “See you soon.” No one really knew what the post meant.

Nurmagomedov’s UFC Future

For now, we know that there is a Press Conference scheduled for Nurmagomedov on December 2nd. While it was initially speculated that this could be about his UFC future, it’s becoming clear that it will likely involve GFC.

The current plan is for Khabib to have a discussion with the UFC President. However, it’s unclear about if the discussions are going to be about his fighting future. Perhaps the talks will be centered on the art of being a promoter.

One thing I could see is Nurmagomedov becoming a partner with the UFC. There are rumors that GFC will become Eagle Fighting Championship. I could see the UFC partnering with Nurmagomedov to help develop talent in the Middle East.

Don’t be shocked if you see this Russian promotion become a fixture on Fight Pass. As of now, I think that’s all were going to see from Nurmagomedov. Perhaps he still comes back, but for now, it seems like he’s focused on other things.