Khabib Nurmagomedov to make biggest payday yet for UFC 242

UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov pocketed a flat purse of $2M for his late 2018 defeat of Conor McGregor. According to Nurmagomedov’s father Abdulmanap, there’s an even bigger fight purse coming.

Speaking to the Russian outlet TASS, the elder Nurmagomedov claimed his son will make at least three times what he made against McGregor when he fights Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 242 this weekend in Abu Dhabi. If math isn’t your strong suit, that’s $6M — potentially even more.

“We will make 3 to 3.5 [times] more [than the McGregor fight]” he said (via MMA Junkie). “We aren’t fighting for a small change – we know what we worth,” he continued. “It is not enough for us, because we are the best now. We have beaten the best, and we are ready to fight the best. We are popular – we know that. When we enter the arena, you will see the reaction to us, and reaction to Poirier.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov has become one of the biggest stars in the UFC, and has a massive following in his native Russia and in the Muslim world — hence his positioning on this card in Abu Dhabi. The champion is undefeated at 27-0, and is inarguably one of the most dominating fighters in MMA history.

In Dustin Poirier, Nurmagomedov will fight a venomous striker with incredible power and a solid ground game to fall back on. That being said, the champion believes he can tire his foe out and submit him. 

“Dustin Poirier’s a very tough opponent,” Nurmagomedov said at the UFC 242 open workouts on Wednesday. “I don’t want to underestimate him. He has a lot of experience. But when I go to the cage, my plan is make him tired, make him tap. This is my plan.”

Are you surprised to hear Khabib Nurmagomedov is set to make so much for this fight?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/4/2019.