Dana White claims he will meet Khabib Nurmagomedov soon to sort out his UFC future
Khabib Nurmagomedov's future in the UFC will soon be sorted out, according to UFC President Dana White.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion announced his retirement at the end of UFC 254, following his dominant second-round submission win over Justin Gaethje. Since then, people have speculated whether or not 'The Eagle' is really calling it a career.
White believes that Nurmagomedov will come back for his 30th win, while the star's manager Ali Abdelaziz has hinted on multiple occasions that his client isn't done yet.
Khabib Nurmagomedov himself however, maintains that he has no desire to come back and compete.
In any case, White says that he will have to sit down with Nurmagomedov soon to discuss the future.
If Khabib Nurmagomedov does intend to remain retired, expect the lightweight championship to be put up for grabs soon, with a number of contenders looking to claim the title for themselves.
Who will succeed Khabib Nurmagomedov as the UFC lightweight champion?
With Khabib Nurmagomedov's future in the UFC uncertain at the moment, the promotion's lightweight division could be left without a titleholder soon.
This makes the upcoming matchups in the lightweight division even more intriguing.
Currently, four of the 155-pound division's top contenders have been booked in upcoming matches, with number 2-ranked Dustin Poirier set to face number 4-ranked Conor McGregor at UFC 257 in January, while number 3-ranked Tony Ferguson meets number 6-ranked Charles Oliveira at UFC 256 in December.
Rafael dos Anjos successfully returned to the lightweight top ten with his unanimous decision win over number 8-ranked Paul Felder at UFC Vegas 14 earlier this month.
Top-ranked contender Justin Gaethje, who has expressed his desire for a quick turnaround, has not yet been in talks for a fight. Meanwhile, former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler has made it known that he wants to fight in the co-main event of UFC 257 in January.
With the UFC's lightweight division being one of it's most stacked weight classes, there definitely won't be any shortage in matchups to make once the promotion decides to put the 155-pound title up for grabs.