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15 Feb, 2019 16:40

‘Khabib wants this fight’: Nurmagomedov’s manager hints at Georges St-Pierre bout in Instagram post

‘Khabib wants this fight’: Nurmagomedov’s manager hints at Georges St-Pierre bout in Instagram post

MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz says that UFC legend Georges St-Pierre could be in line to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in the future, saying that the Russian champion wants to determine who is the 'greatest of all time.'

The status of Nurmagomedov's next fight remains unclear after the UFC lightweight champion was handed a suspension for his actions during the post-fight melee at UFC 229 in October, which will likely rule him out of action for most of 2019. 

READ MORE: Khabib manager Ali Abdelaziz named as co-defendant in 'fighter poaching' lawsuit

He has already indicated that he sees the UFC's annual New York City event in November as the ideal date for his return and, judging by Abdelaziz's comments, former welterweight and middleweight champion St-Pierre is the name they have in mind.

Writing on Instagram, Abdelaziz said that a bout opposite 'GSP' has been on the mind of Nurmagomedov, his father, as well as the manager himself, though he acknowledged that such a fight would only come with the blessing of UFC President Dana White.

"I understand that maybe GSP might have to fight my brother Khabib Nurmagomedov," he wrote. "This is a fight Khabib wants, his father wants and I want. It will be one of the biggest UFC legacy fights in history to determine who is the greatest of all time.

"Of course we have to get the boss on board, the general of combat sports, the one and only Boston’s own Dana White."

However, a spanner in the works for this potential super-fight could be Nurmagomedov's status as the UFC's 155lb champion. It is likely that the UFC will introduce an interim title during the Russian's absence, with speculation suggesting that this could be introduced ahead of Conor McGregor's mooted clash with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone.

Also on rt.com 'People have been trying to kill me': Khabib manager Abdelaziz in death threat claim

If Nurmagomedov does indeed return in November, that would be more than a year since he took part in a title fight and the UFC may be more keen to get the division moving again rather than book a one-off clash between Khabib and St-Pierre.

And if Khabib foe McGregor does claim an iteration of the UFC's championship at 155lbs, a rematch of the most lucrative fight in UFC history could jump to the top of the line.

Georges St-Pierre hasn't fought since a November 2017 win against Michael Bisping at Madison Square Garden. 

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