UFC 300: Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Clears Air on Possible Blockbuster Return
Javier Mendez shot down the idea of Khabib’s return to the UFC. With UFC 300 exactly three months away, MMA fans eagerly anticipate the promotion’s plan for a blockbuster headliner. With champions Sean O’Malley, Alexander Volkanovski, and Sean Strickland headlining their respective cards, the UFC faces the challenge of finding a main event with star power potential. Unfortunately, a long-awaited return from former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired in Jan. 2021 after an impressive 29-0 (13-0 UFC) run, won’t be happening.
In a tweet by MMA journalist Helen Yee, Nurmagomedov’s former coach, Javier Mendez, clarified the purpose behind Nurmagomedov’s recent training videos and his visit. Mendez stated, “I’m just letting you guys know that, you know, stop all this nonsense regarding Khabib. and me training him. There’s been no such thing happening. We’re not discussing training. We never have. Khabib is still devoted to what he said . He’s devoted his time to his family. He’s not working people’s corners. He’s not gonna ever fight. To my knowledge, it has never been spoken about.”
Mendez revealed that he and Nurmagomedov were simply engaging in cardio work, and that was the extent of it. With Nurmagomedov out of the picture, it remains to be seen what the UFC decides to do for their 300th pay-per-view event, which comes nearly eight years after UFC 200. UFC 200 was headlined by Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title and featured notable fighters such as Brock Lesnar, Daniel Cormier, and Anderson Silva.
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