- Khabib Nurmagomedov has downplayed rumors of a rematch with lightweight rival Conor McGregor.
- Nurmagomedov finished McGregor with a fourth-round submission in October, last year.
- But the win failed to bury their rivalry, as the two fighters continue to be linked with one another.
- UFC president Dana White has talked-up a second fight at various points this year.
- But Nurmagomedov said Wednesday that he is not so keen because McGregor has done "nothing the last three years."
- The Russian wrestler even said the Irish striker begged "please don't kill me" during their fall brawl in 2018.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov has slapped down suggestions he could rematch Conor McGregor in the near future as he says the Irishman begged "please don't kill me" when they fought in October.
Nurmagomedov and McGregor engaged in one of the most compelling and controversial rivalries of 2018.
It began when McGregor was seen on video attacking a bus full of UFC athletes at a media event in April. He was charged with assault, ordered to do community service, and take anger management classes.
McGregor's "embarrassing" behaviour was rebuked by fight regulators months after their fall brawl, which Nurmagomedov won after conclusively finishing the Irishman with a tight neck crank in Las Vegas.
Rather than celebrate, Nurmagomedov mounted the fence and charged at McGregor's cageside friend Dillon Danis. While that was going on, members of Nurmagomedov's team jumped into the Octagon and exchanged punches with McGregor.
It was chaos, and there has been talk of a rematch as the UFC president Dana White has talked-up the lucrative fight at various points this year.
But Nurmagomedov believes McGregor has not done enough to warrant a second shot at his UFC belt as he has not won a fight since 2016.
Read more: Conor McGregor's status as a lightweight contender makes a complete mockery of UFC rankings
"He tapped," Nurmagomedov said at an event to promote his UFC 242 title fight against Dustin Poirier, according to ESPN MMA editor Greg Rosentein. "He begged me, 'please don't kill me.' Now we're talking rematch?"
Nurmagomedov hinted that there are more worthy challengers to fight, including Tony Ferguson, who has been on a 12-fight winning run including a second round doctor's stoppage against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone earlier this month.
"Tony Ferguson on the line. People who have a win streak on the line. Not the guy who has done nothing the last three years," Nurmagomedov finished.
It is unclear whether McGregor did indeed beg not to be killed in the cage. However, BT Sport did pick up some communication between the two fighters during their live broadcast of the event last year.