Khabib Nurmagomedov: Conor McGregor can redeem image if he 'change how he is living'

USA Today

4 days ago

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn't think it's too late for Conor McGregor to put his life back on a more enlightened path.
Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) vs. McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is arguably the most heated rivalry in UFC history, with their issues coming to a head at UFC 229 in October 2018 when "The Eagle" scored a fourth-round submission in their grudge match prior to a brawl breaking out inside the octagon at the conclusion of the bout.
Their lives went down splinted paths after that night, with Nurmagomedov going on to be a dominant UFC lightweight champion until he retired from competition in October 2020. McGregor, meanwhile, has only won one fight since, and has found himself caught in a plethora of legal incidents and outside-the-cage controveries.
Although few would blame Nurmagomedov if he had zero care about McGregor after all these years, he admits he hopes things turn in a more positive direction, and said it's still possible.
'This is punishment – the most beautiful part of this is Allah always give the chance to come back," Nurmagomedov said Saturday during an appearance for Miftaah Institute on Saturday in New York (H/T: Sneako). "'We always have in this world the chance to come back, and this is the most beautiful thing. It doesn't matter how you've been, Allah is gonna give you a chance always to come back. ... I think he has a chance. He has to change how he is living."
Nurmagomedov said the onus will of course fall on McGregor to make the significant adjustments to avoid being involved in future negative headlines. If he doesn't consciously take those steps, however, then nothing is going to change for "The Notorious," who is currently claiming plans to make a UFC comeback following more than four years away after re-entering the UFC drug testing pool.
'Why am I talking about this? If he's going to change, he can change with him so many other lives too," Nurmagomedov said. 'That's why I wish him to change himself. If he's not going change, it will be punishment all his life.'