Khabib Nurmagomedov: ‘We’re Talking… I Want To Fight Conor McGregor This Year’

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been the UFC lightweight champion for barely three weeks, but already a number of challengers are lining up to face him.

Speaking at a Q&A event at a Russian University yesterday, Nurmagomedov suggested that talks between his management and the UFC had already begun regarding his next fight and that he was willing to face Conor McGregor should the Irishman want to return in 2018.

“We’re talking, but if it takes too long, I don’t want to do that.,” Nurmagomedov said via a translator regarding a fight with McGregor.

“If he wants to fight this year, then we can fight.

“Otherwise, I don’t know.

“We won’t wait long. I want to fight Conor and if he can fight, I will fight him.”

Outside of McGregor, the likes of Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier and the winner of this weekends clash between Kevin Lee and Edson Barboza will all be in the mix at the top of the division. One man Nurmagomedov seemingly has no interest in fighting though is Eddie Alvarez.

“There is Tony Ferguson, but I don’t think he is going to fight soon,” Nurmagomedov said.

“Then there is Alvarez, He wants to fight, but there’s something missing.

“He may or may not know this, but I’ll tell him to go take a hike.”

You can watch the full Q&A with Nurmagomedov here: