With this weekend’s UFC 223 main event being for the undisputed UFC lightweight world title, fireworks were anticipated in the scheduled fight between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Unfortunately though, much like in the past, the bout was cancelled on just a week’s notice.
On March 23, just a week before the worst was announced for the UFC 223 main event, McGregor eluded that he was staying ready incase one of the fighters fell out.
Stay ready.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 24, 2018
When the vacancy left by Ferguson was confirmed, fight fans hoped for the best, that Conor would return in defense of his world title.
However, the UFC opted for Max Holloway, and Dana White confirmed that he was not willing to book Conor McGregor on such short notice, so he never offered him the fight.
Now, in a new interview with Michael Bisping’s “Believe You Me” podcast, McGregor’s manager Audie Attar reveals that the UFC would not risk Conor McGregor’s star power on a short notice fight.
Here’s his remarks:
“I don’t think the UFC would risk throwing him in on a weeks’ notice. That’s a lot of money. That’s their biggest asset in the UFC.”
“At the end of the day, I respect that. I get that. That’s another thing I heard Dana [White] say and I respect that. At the end of the day, it makes complete business sense.”
“Conor’s been training from the beginning of the year. He’s made that known publicly. All these other rumors and people saying ‘oh he never fights again or will he ever fight again’. Dude’s an ultra-competitor and he’s not done writing his own story.”
“When is that? I don’t know. What I can tell you is things are heating up and as you see by his own social media, he’s staying ready.”
