Khabib Nurmagomedov challenges Conor McGregor and team for November showdown UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is relieved his lo...
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is relieved his longtime rival Conor McGregor isn̢۪t going to jail after attacking his bus prior to UFC 223.
Now, they can finally fight.
After McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) today struck a plea deal that will keep him out of jail, Nurmagomedov (26-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) contacted MMAjunkie and issued a challenge to the former two-division champ â€" and his team (via Twitter):
“Glad that he stayed out of jail, because I wouldn’t be able to punish him in that case. Now he needs to bring his Irish team to (Madison Square Garden) in November and finish our business.â€
Shortly after the interview, Nurmagomedov took to Instagram to issue another challenge:
Nurmagomedov’s proposed date falls one month after the Oct. 6 date â€" UFC 229 â€" that’s been heavily rumored t o host a showdown between Nurmagomedov and McGregor, who was stripped of the UFC lightweight title when Nurmagomedov beat Al Iaquinta at UFC 223.
A meeting in New York could be seen as closure for the rivals after their near-clash in April at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Video shot during McGregor̢۪s bus melee showed Nurmagomedov being held back as the UFC star and his teammates swarmed the bus and threw several items at it.
The incident reportedly was a retaliation for an earlier confrontation between Nurmagomedov̢۪s team and McGregor teammate Artem Lobov, according to UFC President Dana White. Nurmagomedov later issued a challenge to McGregor to show up with his team to settle the matter.
But by then, McGregor was already embroiled in the legal fallout from the attack, which resulted in his arrest on multiple charges including two felony counts of criminal mischief.
Today, McGregor avoided a career-debilitating felony that would have prevented hi m from traveling into the U.S. for fights. In exchange for pleading guilty to a single count of disorderly conduct, he agreed to five days̢۪ community service, up to three days of anger-management course, restitution to the bus company whose property he damaged, and a no contact order to three people affected by his actions.
Outside the courthouse in Brooklyn, McGregor thanked his supporters and quickly left in a black SUV, one similar to the one he hopped in while he was fleeing the scene of his previous crime.
Nurmagomedov has long called for a fight with McGregor to determine the world̢۪s best lightweight, only to be frustrated by McGregor̢۪s absence from the cage.
Now, a significant roadblock has been lifted. When the two eventually meet, extra security will hopefully be added.
For more on the UFC̢۪s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Source: Google News US Sports | Netizen 24 United States
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