Okay, so Conor McGregor’s Ireland-based lawyer Graham Kenny posted this to his Instagram story yesterday evening. H/T to @FrontRowBrian. If true, ‘The Notorious’ will take on Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in a little over nine weeks time. #UFC
Conor McGregor’s long awaited showdown with Khabib Nurmagodev could be set to go ahead in October 2018. McGregor’s lawyer, Graham Kenny, posted on his Instagram story that he is headed for Las Vegas in October 2018, although the exact date is obscured, according to MMA writer Chisanga Malata. On August 3, the UFC announced that the fight is going ahead on October 6.
As things stand, UFC 229 is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on October 6 at the T-Mobile Arena. The promotion is returning to New York City and Madison Square Garden on November 3 for UFC 230. In December 8, the fighting takes place in Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena before returning to Las Vegas for the promotion’s final event on December 29 with UFC 232.
Is #ConorMcGregor about to fight again soon? In 2018? 😱 #TMZ
That would mean at the time of writing, McGregor’s long-awaited return to MMA could be nine weeks away. McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since his November 2016 victory over Eddie Alvarez.
McGregor Said He’d Prefer for the Fight to Take Place in Madison Square Garden, Rather Than Vegas
McGregor told TMZ on August 1 that the fight was “very close” to being agreed. Although he did imply that he would like the fight take place in New York City, not Las Vegas. McGregor said that he thought the fight was going to happen in Sin City rather than the Big Apple. McGregor that he “believed” the fight would take place in 2018.
Nurmagomedov Says He Won’t Be Low Balled for His Payout
Nurmagomedov recently told fans at an event, via MMA Junkie, that he knows his value within the UFC and the McGregor fight can’t go ahead without him. The Russian says, “I’m not going to give him a chance to make money and fight with me. Without me, this fight is impossible. If they want to pay for me a couple hundred thousand and make this fight, make money for UFC and make money for Conor, for a couple hundred thousand, no way, brother. Conor is 2-2 in his last four fights. He doesn’t deserve a title shot. But we know that’s the money fight.”
Nurmagomedov Says His Plan for the Fight Is to Make McGregor Tired
When asked about his strategy for the fight, the Russian brawler said, “My plan is make him flat, make him tired and make him give up. This is my plan. I don’t want to finish him early. I want to make him pay for all things that happen. I can’t believe we finally going to fight. We have to sign (the contract). We have to know where we’re going to fight. He don’t have conditioning. He don’t have wrestling. He don’t have anything. He have one very good left hand. I’m going to cut this angle and try to take him down 100 times. He think if Khabib fight like I did against Iaquinta, maybe he can beat me. But look at my 10 (UFC) fights. They’re all different.”
In April 2018, Nurmagomedov defeated Al Laquinta at UFC 223 at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York, to claim the UFC lightweight title that McGregor had been stripped of due to inactivity.
McGregor Will Have to Fit the Fight Around His Community Service & Anger Management Classes
While in McGregor’s camp, things appear to be rosy again after the Dublin-born fighter agreed to a plea deal that includes five days of community service and some anger-management classes. McGregor was facing charges relating to an attack he perpetrated on a bus carrying a group of UFC fighters prior to UFC 223. UFC chief Dana White said at the time that the attack was “the most disgusting thing that has ever happened in the history of the company.”
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