Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor were both in attendance at Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final at Luzhniki Stadium in Russia, but the two UFC stars never came face to face.
That might have been for the best, however, as the last time Nurmagomedov and McGregor were in close proximity of one another, the “Notorious” one hurled a dolly through a window of a bus carrying the Dagestani and other UFC fighters and employees. The incident resulted in injuries that forced both Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg to pull out of UFC 223 two days later.
McGregor’s attack was believed to be in retaliation for a confrontation between Nurmagomedov and SBG Ireland teammate Artem Lobov earlier that week. McGregor is due back in court on July 26.
According to Nurmagomedov, the UFC’s reigning lightweight champion, a confrontation in a crowded venue wouldn’t have settled any type of score between the two men.
“I thought I’d meet McGregor at the Luzhniki Stadium,” Nurmagomedov said (via Express.co.uk). “But even if we meet now, we still will not be able to find out who is stronger. If there was a cage in the middle of the arena, it would be more interesting. And now something to find out on the street and so on. We are not at that age and not in that position.
“It would be ideal if there were no one around. Or vice versa — to the full stadium, in the middle of the cage, and in it — we. In general, I see no reason to approach him now. We are hospitable people. Let the football look, enjoy Russia.”
McGregor has not competed in the UFC since 2016 and was stripped of the lightweight belt earlier this years. If his legal team is successful in negotiating a plea agreement, he could be booked against Nurmagomedov at an event later this year.