KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV has put aside his near decade-old feud with Conor McGregor to wish his former rival well for the future.
Nurmagomedov and McGregor, 36 and 37, respectively, took part in the biggest grudge match and PPV fight in UFC history back in October 2018.
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The blood feud didn’t end when ‘The Notorious’ was submitted in the fourth round of their UFC 229 showdown in Las Vegas.
McGregor has fired several shots the Russian’s way over the years and has often accused him of running away from a rematch with his retirement.
Nurmagomedov has seldom spoken about his old rival but is aware of all the legal troubles he’s had in recent years.
And the Dagestani recently revealed he hopes McGregor can get on the straight and narrow, albeit without mentioning his name.
During a recent Q&A event in New York, Nurmagomedov said: ““I don’t wanna mention his name.
“This is punishment… The most beautiful part of this is Allah always give the chance to come back.
“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.”
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Nurmagomedov believes McGregor turning his life around would be a story which could inspire people across the globe.
The former undefeated and long-reigning lightweight champion said: “He has to change how he is living.
“Why am I talking about this? If he’s gonna change, he can change with him so many other lives too.
“That’s why I wish him to change himself. If he’s not gonna change, it will be punishment all his life.”
McGregor has only fought three times since losing the biggest fight in UFC history.
The Irishman got back in the win column against Donald Cerrone in January 2020 before suffering back-to-back stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier the following year.
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McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Poirier four years ago as injury scuppered his comeback clash with Michael Chandler last July.
The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion is hellbent on returning to the octagon and recently re-entered the promotion’s testing pool.
If McGregor fights again, his next outing will be his first since he was found civilly liable for having assaulted Nikita Hand at a Dublin hotel in December 2018.
McGregor appealed the verdict turned in at Dublin’s High Court but lost his bid to overturn the civil verdict late last month.
