Khabib Nurmagomedov will push for MMA to be included in the Olympic games

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has been a busy man since announcing his retirement after defending his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.

Just a few days ago, it was announced that Nurmagomedov has purchased Russian MMA promotion Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC). Now, it seems, he has turned his attention to the ultimate means of legitimizing MMA as a sport: including it in the Olympics.

The undefeated Russian champion says he intends to meet with the head of the International Olympic Committee (ICC) Thomas Bach to try to convince him to add MMA to the 2028 Olympic Summer games in Los Angeles.

In a press conference in Tashkent, Nurmagomedov said: “The inclusion of MMA in the Olympics is one of my main tasks for the next couple of years. We are already working in this direction.”

One of the major obstacles to MMA being included in the Olympic games is its gratuitous violence. Nurmagomedov recognizes this barrier but feels that the sport could gain a huge boost in popularity if included in the games.

“The only question is the cruelty of the sport … But in terms of recognition, sponsorship, and in terms of interest for television, I think that if MMA enters the Olympics program, it will be on par with football.”