Conor McGregor vs Khabib: Dana White reveals where super-fight will happen
CONOR MCGREGOR versus Khabib Nurmagomedov will more than likely happen in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White has claimed.
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McGregor and Nurmagomedov, both 29, have been on a collision course to face one another for nearly two years.
The fire for a super-fight between the pair was well and truly stoked last month at the UFC 223 media day, which saw McGregor attack a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and his fellow fighters.
Several months prior to that unsavoury incident, the prospect of the pair throwing down with one another in Russia was being touted.
White was initially receptive to the idea of McGregor vs Nurmagomedov headlining the UFC's maiden card in Russia, which is tentatively slated for September.
However, after having a few months to think about it, the UFC chief now believes the bout should take place in 'The Fight Capital of The World'.
"If you do a fight that big, you gotta (sic) do it in Vegas.
"Khabib will fight in Russia at some point, but it won't be that fight.
If you do a fight that big, you gotta (sic) do it in Vegas
“It's too big. Ya gotta do it in Vegas."
Nurmagomedov, who reached the summit of the UFC’s lightweight division in the main event of UFC 223, is more than willing to fight McGregor next, so long as the Irishman begs him for a title shot.
“I hope he’s gonna fight. We have to fight. Make world tour everywhere, Tokyo, Moscow, Dublin, Los Angeles, Rio," 'The Eagle' said during the UFC 223 post-fight press conference.
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“Big world tour, promote this fight, and fight end of the year, biggest arena in the world, Madison Square Garden. Why not?
“Or maybe in Zaire or Philippines. Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t matter, I’m here. He want to become lightweight champion?
“He have to fight with me. Now, no more this all fake champions.
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“You guys remember when he put tweet, ‘Beg me.’ Please, beg me.”
McGregor, 21-3, hasn’t set foot inside the Octagon since his historic UFC 205 victory over Eddie Alvarez, a win which saw him become the promotion’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion.
His long-awaited return to the Octagon, which he hasn’t graced in nearly 18 months, will almost certainly be delayed by his antics at the UFC 223 media day, where he threw a dolley through the window of a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and a number of his fellow fighters.