Conor McGregor: Manager reveals potentially major problem in Khabib fight plan
CONOR MCGREGOR’s manager Audie Attar has admitted a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov hinges on the Irishman coming to terms with the UFC brass.
McGregor, 30, is set to be welcomed back to the Octagon by Nurmagomedov, his successor at the summit of the lightweight division.
A date for their grudge match hasn’t been announced, but negotiations over the bout are currently ongoing.
Nurmagomedov vs McGregor is without a doubt the fight mixed martial arts fans across the globe are most eager to see happen by the end of the year.
Attar himself is keen to see the fight, which will more than likely be the biggest in UFC history, come to fruition but admits McGregor must first agree a new deal with the UFC brass before the contest can happen.
“At the end of the day, though, it’s got to be right and I’d say negotiations would have to be completed and then we’ll have a sure date on our hands," Attar told ESPN's Ariel Hewlani.
“I’m confident that he wants to fight again this year.
“Whether he fights again this year is dependent on us getting the final deal done.”
Whether he fights again this year is dependent on us getting the final deal done
Despite admitting there’s a small amount of uncertainty surrounding Nurmagomedov vs McGregor, Attar is confident his client wants to fight again.
"Conor was planning on fighting before all this stuff happened," he said.
"The reality of it is that he was planning on fighting in May. So yes, he wants to fight, he loves to fight.
"He loves to compete. He still has some unfinished business in more than one way. From an athletic standpoint and from a business standpoint.”
Attar’s comments came a few days before McGregor revealed that he’s closing in on his grudge match with ‘The Eagle’.
“Yes, very close,” McGregor told TMZ on Tuesday morning.
When asked if he think’s he’ll fight Nurmagomedov before the end of the year, 'The Notorious' added: “I believe so. I hope so.”
McGregor, 30, hasn’t set foot inside the Octagon since claiming the lightweight title 20 months ago in the main event of UFC 205, where he became the promotion’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion.
The UFC brass relieved the Dubliner of the belt in April due to inactivity, a decision which paved the way for Nurmagomedov to claim the title in the main event of UFC 223 with a unanimous decision victory over Al Iaquinta.