Khabib Nurmagomedov faces Justin Gaethje this weekend in the main event of UFC 254, but another big fight possibly on the horizon is a rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
The lightweight champion seems to be open to a potential rematch with McGregor, as long as McGregor defeats Poirier at lightweight and not at welterweight.
“If he beats [Poirier] at 155 [pounds], it makes sense, but if they fight at 170, how can you fight at 170 and next fight you can fight at 155? They want to make everything easy,” Nurmagomedov said on the Real Quick With Mike Swick Podcast (via Steven Marrocco of MMA Fighting). “It you want to take the easy way, you never deserve the next title shot.”
McGregor and Nurmagomedov met for the first time at UFC 229, where Nurmagomedov scored a fourth round submission win to retain the UFC lightweight championship. Nurmagomedov says McGregor has no chance at getting a title shot is he faces Poirier at welterweight.
“Remember, before I fought him, I told him, ‘I’m going to make you humble, and I’m going to put you in line,’” Nurmagomedov said. “Now, after two years, people understand my word. I’m going to put him in line, and I’m going to make the decision. If he fights 170, bye-bye.”
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