MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The decision by Russia’s undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov against training US-based billionaire and celebrity entrepreneur Elon Musk was "a matter of principle," a source on the Russian fighter’s team disclosed to TASS on Monday.

TASS reported last week that Nurmagomedov declined a request to train Musk for a mooted bout against Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta (prohibited in Russia as extremist).

"Khabib’s refusal was a matter of principle," the source said. "He has wrapped up his coaching and sports career and nothing can change this. Musk’s [present-day] status plays no role at all."

"However, Khabib keeps receiving proposals on a regular basis to be a coach or make a comeback," the source noted. "But this is impossible."

The New York Times reported earlier that Musk and Zuckerberg were holding discussions about potentially staging a mixed martial arts (MMA) match-up within the framework of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

A source close to the situation told TASS on Monday that, "Khabib declined [Musk’s] proposal and we do not know the reasons [for his refusal]."

Information about the bout between the two Internet moguls in the United States went viral on social media early this summer after Zuckerberg announced a decision to launch Meta’s own text-based social media app, dubbed Project 92, to compete with the X social network (formerly known as Twitter).

On June 22, Zuckerberg accepted Musk’s challenge to square off in the MMA octagon in Las Vegas. Although weighing in at just 154 pounds, the 39-year-old Zuckerberg was reported earlier to be training in MMA and has also won a number of Jiu-Jitsu belts this year.

Information about the bout between the two Internet moguls in the United States went viral on social media early this summer after Zuckerberg announced a decision to launch Meta’s own text-based social media app, dubbed Project 92, to compete with the X social network (formerly known as Twitter).

On June 22, Zuckerberg accepted Musk’s challenge to square off in the MMA octagon in Las Vegas. Although weighing in at just 154 pounds, the 39-year-old Zuckerberg was reported earlier to be training in MMA and has also won a number of Jiu-Jitsu belts this year.

Elon Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, announced the following day that she put the kibosh on her son’s MMA bout. US celebrity entrepreneur and billionaire Musk reacted to his mother’s Tweet about the fight with a smiley face emoji.

UFC chief Dana White believes that the fight between Musk and Zuckerberg will eventually be organized and will be the most-viewed bout in the history of the sport.

Musk announced on June 29 that the bout could be hosted by the Roman Colosseum. The TMZ web portal said, citing sources, that the Italian Ministry of Culture allegedly offered the Colosseum arena for the brawl. However, a spokesman for the ancient monument and museum in the Italian capital told TASS later that these reports were not true.

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Russia’s former UFC Lightweight Champion, Nurmagomedov, who announced his retirement almost two years ago, was the first Russian ever to win a UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship) title belt when he smashed US opponent Al Iaquinta in the spring of 2018.

The 34-year-old Russian fighter, nicknamed "The Eagle," was undefeated in 29 fights during his mixed martial arts career, winning 8 times by KO, 11 by submission and 10 by decision.

He announced his retirement on October 24, 2020, right after defeating Justin Gaethje of the United States with a (triangle choke) technical submission.

The UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship) is the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion event around the globe featuring the world’s most elite fighters. A number of Russian fighters have stepped into the octagon at UFC events.