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This November will mark a whole TWO years since Conor McGregor’s last in the UFC.
While fans got to see the spectacle of him boxing Floyd Mayweather in August of 2017, it’s closing in on a full 24 months since the world’s greatest (or at least most entertaining) mixed martial artist stepped into the Octagon. And let’s face it, MMA is far more exciting than boxing.
But that all may change soon enough now that McGregor’s New York City lawsuit is settled after he smashed the windows of a bus carrying UFC fighters leading up to UFC 223 in Brooklyn.
Speaking to TMZSports reports (because, obviously, those dudes are like gnats), McGregor — in classic McGregor fashion — given some pretty insightful details into his future with the UFC.
When asked if a deal for a fight was close, McGregor replied that “it’s not official but we’re close”. Furthermore, when asked if it would be going down in 2018, McGregor said “I believe so, I hope so. I’m pushing for it.”
via Uproxx:
Negotiations between the UFC and McGregor had been stalled out ever since the Irish superstar and a group of his gym teammates stormed the Barclays Center leading up to UFC 223 in April, smashing the windows of a bus bringing UFC fighters back to their hotel. McGregor was attempting to get to Dagestani fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had slapped Conor’s close friend Artem Lobov in a confrontation earlier that week. Now that the UFC knows McGregor isn’t about to be barred from entering America, a deal can be made for him to fight Nurmagomedov in a proper, legal fashion.
As for where the fight will take place, McGregor said that while he loves New York City, odds are the fight goes down in Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I love New York City, to be able to be here a free man, walking around this place,” he said. “What a city! We’ll see what happens. I’d love to fight in [Madison Square] Garden again, but I believe this one is in Las Vegas.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chv6rmUjvD4
Personally, I think this is a major misfire by the UFC. I was in Midtown Manhattan the night of UFC 205 and it was a true spectacle.
After beat McGregor beat Eddie Alvarez to win his second belt, Seventh Ave was completely shut down due to fans celebrating in the streets, climbing lamp posts, and singing Irish folk songs. Every bar nearby was packed to the brim. It was a special, borderline magical sports night that can only be had in New York City and the UFC is missing a huge opportunity by not bringing McGregor back to the Garden for his UFC return.
