Khabib Nurmagomedov to star in mega welterweight clash with Leon Edwards? Exploring the possibility

Recent reports have indicated that Khabib Nurmagomedov is set to make his octagon return at UFC 300. If true, it would mark the first bout for the legendary lightweight since his retirement on Oct. 24, 2020. But if he is truly returning, who is he reportedly scheduled to face?

Having conquered all there is in the promotion's 155-pound division and exhibiting no interest in a once-talked-about rematch with Conor McGregor, rumors have circulated that 'The Eagle' will return to take on UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in what would be a legacy-defining clash for both men.

But how many of these reports are true? Has Nurmagomedov walked back on his promise to his mother to stay retired? And has the prospect of becoming the welterweight champion truly enticed him back from retirement when a fight with Georges St-Pierre, his late father's dream, couldn't?

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The case for a Khabib Nurmagomedov return

UFC CEO Dana White has promised a super-fight for UFC 300. However, with Conor McGregor's matchup with Michael Chandler supposedly booked for June 29, Nate Diaz no longer being in the UFC, Israel Adesanya on a sabbatical, and Islam Makhachev being injured, the promotion is short on options.

So who else is left? Former middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen recently speculated on the possibility of a Khabib Nurmagomedov return, especially given the buzz generated by the Dagestani phenom's return to training with AKA head coach Javier Mendez.

Check out a Khabib Nurmagomedov training montage in the clip below:

Mendez claimed that, while Nurmagomedov is always training, it's the first time since 2020 that he has trained with him specifically. He also stressed that 'The Eagle' has only ever trained with him when preparing for a fight and even teased that he might have a fight coming up. However, there's more to this rumor.

There is still no sign of the Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad welterweight title fight previously expected to feature at UFC 300. The promotion has not made any official announcements regarding the bout, though Sonnen did speculate that it could be nothing more than licensing issues.

Regardless, it has led many to wonder if the reason the fight hasn't been announced is because it isn't the fight the promotion has chosen to go with. Instead, Nurmagomedov is now believed to be gearing up for his grand return in a welterweight title fight with Edwards.

If the bout does happen, it would solve UFC 300's biggest point of criticism: that it is lacking a marquee, headline-worthy matchup.

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The case against a Khabib Nurmagomedov return

While many are eager for Khabib Nurmagomedov's octagon return, it is likely nothing more than a pipe dream. For now, at least. When the UFC Hall of Famer retired from MMA, he made a promise to his mother: he would not continue fighting without his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, in his corner.

Given the tragic death of his father, 'The Eagle' made the decision to walk away from the sport and has since resisted every single attempt to coax him back into the octagon. Each time, he has cited how seriously he takes the promise he made to his mother.

A big-money rematch against a hated rival like Conor McGregor failed to draw him back. Not even a crack at all-time great welterweight Georges St-Pierre—who he previously seemed the most interested in fighting and was his late father's favorite fighter and dream matchup—was enough to sway the Dagestani phenom.

During an interview with renowned MMA journalist John Morgan, 'The Eagle' answered his question about Dana White offering him a matchup with 'GSP'.

"He ask me. He send me message, he say, 'Hey. Georges St-Pierre wanna fight with you.' I say, 'What can I do?' I don't know, like, I'm finished, you know?"

Catch Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments below (0:13):

But a UFC welterweight title fight with Leon Edwards is where the temptation grows too strong for him to resist? While an excellent fighter, Edwards is no generational great (yet), nor has he racked up countless title defenses in dominant fashion to spark Nurmagomedov's competitive fire.

Lastly, he is no star, and Nurmagomedov has never concerned himself with welterweight championship pursuits. But those who do are fairly close to Nurmagomedov. Despite the promotion not announcing an official welterweight title fight for UFC 300, it is Belal Muhammad's dream to fight for championship gold.

Muhammad and Nurmagomedov are close, with the two having trained together ahead of the former's past bout with Sean Brady at UFC 280. Muhammad spoke glowingly about the experience training with Nurmagomedov, and recently claimed that he intended to head to Dagestan to start training.

So would Nurmagomedov really come out of retirement just to pull the rug from under a fellow Muslim and training partner with whom he has a good relationship? This is made an even greater issue when considering Islam Makhachev's own desire to fight for welterweight gold.

"Leon has to be next. And also this fight (Edwards vs. Covington) is bullsh*t, man. We have to change the champion."

Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's successor, Islam Makhachev, express his desire to compete at welterweight in the clip below:

Makhachev is Nurmagomedov's childhood friend and protégé. The two are so close that they're often confused for family. They grew up together, trained together, and Makhachev partially dedicated his title-winning performance at UFC 280 to Nurmagomedov, who prepared and cornered him.

Makhachev has repeatedly outlined his plan to move up to welterweight to challenge for the belt. So, again, would Nurmagomedov return from retirement simply to selfishly steal and live out his best friend's dream? It seems unlikely that he would do so.

The most definitive reason why he is almost certainly not returning is that Javier Mendez, head coach of AKA, said so. While he recently revealed that 'The Eagle' is training with him, he did quickly clarify that Nurmagomedov is still retired and not scheduled for a UFC 300 appearance.