Coach wants Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor rematch next

The next fight of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov remains a mystery. In the opinion of Nurmagomedov’s head coach Javier Mendez, however, the best option available is a rematch with Conor McGregor, who Nurmagomedov defeated at UFC 229 on October 6.

“I look at this as more of a prizefight than I do sport,” Javier Mendez told Off The Brawl,outlining his pick for the next fight of Khabib Nurmagomedov. “I want the biggest prizefight and the biggest prizefight hands down is, there’s no comparison, it’s Conor. Obviously, I want a rematch, because that’s what it is, the biggest prizefight, right? Because of what happened the last time there’s more interest on the second one, there’s a rematch to be had. For me, I would rather have that.”

“That’s the biggest money fight in MMA bar none,” he added. “There is nobody in MMA that can bring that kind of money that Khabib and Conor can in the rematch. That’s the reason I would want that, but Khabib may want a different thing, Khabib may want Tony [Ferguson]. It’s hard to say because Jan. 29^th hasn’t happened. We don’t know what [NAC] are going to do, how long they’ll be suspended, how much money…but from my point of view I would want the rematch for the prizefight. It’s bigger, it’s three or four times as much.”

On January 29, the date Javier Mendez mentions above, Khabib Nurmagomedov will be disciplined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his role in the post-fight brawl that followed his UFC 229 win over Conor McGregor. Once that’s squared away, a rematch between the two fighters would be possible.

If it does happen, Mendez is hoping it goes down inside AT&T Stadium — the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

“Now’s the time, to be honest with you,” Mendes said. “We don’t know with Conor, he’s so rich with his Proper 12. I hear it’s doing fantastic. He’s got a great image, bro. He appears to be a helluva businessman. Now’s the time to strike while the iron is hot, I say Cowboys Stadium. That would do the pay-per-view numbers; that would do everything. I think now is the time to consider doing something like that. It would be the right place for a stadium show. Vegas would be the right place if they built the Raiders stadium in time, but that won’t be built in time.”

Do you think we’ll get a rematch between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor this year?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/17/2019.