Overview
- Dana White said “money ruins everything,” arguing in a recent interview that huge payouts left Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov with less incentive to keep fighting.
- White pointed to Khabib’s paid appearances in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar and noted Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s death as part of why Khabib stayed retired.
- Ariel Helwani called White’s framing insensitive, reiterating Khabib’s public claim that he promised his mother he would stop fighting, while fans and Aljamain Sterling also criticized the comments.
- White referenced McGregor’s $100 million Floyd Mayweather payday as a turning point, while McGregor remains under an 18‑month whereabouts ban that ends March 20, 2026, with speculation linking him to Michael Chandler on a proposed White House card in June 2026.
- The two stars helped drive the UFC’s commercial boom, including an estimated 2.4 million pay‑per‑view buys for their rivalry, and reports have said Khabib declined a $40 million offer to return.