Khabib Nurmagomedov makes fresh retirement comments after Jake Paul claims

Khabib Nurmagomedov admitted he lacked motivation following his win over Conor McGregor back in 2018.

Nurmagomedov, 33, announced his retirement from mixed martial arts shortly after his second-round submission victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020.

The former UFC lightweight champion revealed he always wanted to fight the Notorious – but began to lose interest in the sport when he realised ‘I really didn’t enjoy this’.

Khabib first felt like it was possibly time to walk away from the sport when he beat Al Iaquinta to win the vacant belt over four years ago.

During an appearance on The Nelk Boys’ Full Send Podcast, Nurmagomedov said: “For this sport, you have to be hungry.

“If you’re not hungry, if you don’t want really this, you have to finish.

“For example, the last couple years, I really didn’t enjoy this. Even when I fought with Conor, it was a very, like, principle fight for me. Like, I really want to fight with this guy.

“Next day, after this, I really didn’t enjoy this. When I [began my career], I really wanted to fight, fight, fight – then fight for the title.

“I win the title, my fire begins to go down.”

The Dagestani wrestler said there were days when he struggled for motivation as he waited to discover who he might fight next while serving a nine-month suspension for his part in the post-fight brawl.

He added: “All this year [that I was suspended], I kept training, and I’m like: ‘What I’m gonna do next? I’m gonna fight with who?’

“Then they make the interim title [fight]: Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway. I remember they were fighting and I was waiting for my opponent.

“Okay, Dustin Poirier beat this guy. I [felt] nothing inside. ‘Okay, I’m gonna fight with you.’ It was the first time my