Så snart som Conor McGregor besegrat Donald ’Cowboy’ Cerrone via TKO vid nattens UFC 246 började spekulationerna ta fart om vem irländaren ska möta härnäst. Vid post-night presskonferensen för nattens gala berättade UFC:s VD Dana White att han i vilket fall vill att McGregor möter Nurmagomedov framöver om det så blir som ersättare vid UFC 249 i april eller senare i år.
White sade då följande enligt MMAJunkie:
When you look at this for Khabib, Khabib is 28-0. He’s undefeated. You start talking about this kid’s legacy. First of all, to go 28-0 in this sport? I don’t care who you’ve fought. It’s tough to do. Well, this guy is a world champion. After tonight, with how Khabib won the first time, and how famous Khabib has become since that first fight, we’re looking at Hagler-Hearns. We’re looking at Ali-Foreman (or) Ali-Frazier. This is a massive fight with global appeal. It’s the fight you make.
When you look at this for Khabib, Khabib is 28-0. He’s undefeated. You start talking about this kid’s legacy. First of all, to go 28-0 in this sport? I don’t care who you’ve fought. It’s tough to do. Well, this guy is a world champion. After tonight, with how Khabib won the first time, and how famous Khabib has become since that first fight, we’re looking at Hagler-Hearns. We’re looking at Ali-Foreman (or) Ali-Frazier. This is a massive fight with global appeal. It’s the fight you make.
White tyckte inte att ett kommande möte mellan McGregor och ’BMF’-mästaren Jorge Masvidal , som var på plats inatt, verkar logisk:
If Conor and Masvidal fight, neither one of them even have the title. Although Conor does want his ‘BMF’ title, (Masvidal) doesn’t have a world championship. Khabib is the fight to make.
White säger också att han inte vill anordna returmötet mellan irländaren och Nurmagomedov i mästarens hemland Ryssland. VD:n ser istället USA eller möjligtvis Storbritannien som landet för matchen:
Nope. It ain’t happening in Moscow. … Why do you think it’s not going to happen in Moscow? There are many, many reasons why it won’t happen in Moscow. When I just rattled off the places we could make it, those are the places that make sense. You could either do it in the U.K.; New York City; Dallas, Texas stadium; the stadium (in Las Vegas); T-Mobile (Arena) – those are all the places that make sense.
Realistically, Vegas is always the place that makes the most sense when you have a massive fight. Unfortunately, Khabib is not a big Vegas fan after what happened to him last time. I don’t know.
Nurmagomedov är just nu inbokad att möta Tony Ferguson den 18 april i Brooklyn, New York.