Many MMA fighters who choose to venture into other sports would usually make a lateral movement to boxing. Former undisputed UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is planning to transition to a sport outside of prizefighting.
In a recent Facebook Q&A, the 32-year-old Russian sports star shared his plans of potentially pursuing a football career. He says he’s already received offers from football clubs but has yet to come across one that piques his interest.
A lot of football clubs, they offer me. But I have to little bit become football shape because football shape is little bit different than MMA. When you have to fight in MMA, when we have to play in football, this is two different (sports).
But if some clubs, they offer me, like, they make me (interested), I’m gonna accept this. Because this is my childhood dream. I love football. I follow football since when I was kid, when I was child. This is my first love.
“The Eagle” began his professional fighting career in 2008 and managed to keep an unblemished 29-0 record. And despite the titles he’d won, including the most prestigious one, he says winning the World Cup would be much more fulfilling.
I think football is much better. You know, the World Cup. They making this show, the World Cup, one time in four years. This is very big, big history.
Football is on another level. MMA, I like MMA. I like fighting, I like competition with people, with best fighters in the world. But football, for me, is, like, best sport.
Khabib announced his retirement last October right after his UFC 254 win over Justin Gaethje. The UFC, however, only made it official in March.
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