When the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi in January, the promotion will feature a trio of consecutive cards capped off by the return of Conor McGregor as he faces Dustin Poirier in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 257 on Jan. 23.
While the fights that week will get the most attention, behind the scenes UFC President Dana White plans to sit down for a meeting with reigning lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in order to make a pitch to him to return from retirement.
Nurmagomedov called it a career back in October after earning a second-round submission against Justin Gaethje while revealing that he promised his mother that he would retire after one more fight following the tragic loss of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, earlier in the year.