How the UFC plans to prevent a Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov altercation at Fight Island
Both Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be at Fight Island when UFC holds the first three events of 2021 in Abu Dhabi. Conor McGregor will be featuring in the main event of the UFC 257 pay-per-view against Dustin Poirier, while Khabib Nurmagomedov will be there to meet and talk with Dana White.
It has left fans worried what would happen if Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov come face to face in that venue. From what we know, they have not come across each other since their UFC 229 clash.
Speaking to Oscar Willis of The Mac Life, Dana White talked about a potential altercation between the former and current lightweight champion. The UFC president said that he was expecting the two fighters to be professional about it and keep their personal feelings about each other to themselves.
However, as a precautionary measure, UFC has already mapped out all the possible routes the two fighters and their teams could take in the hotel - and kept it separate from one another.
"No, I think that these guys will be professional, and I think we have (laughs) mapped out the routes of it.... We are a small island here, anything is possible."
Dana White has already said that the winner of Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier will be in line for the title shot in the near future. He added that if Conor and Khabib do want to fight each other on sight, they can wait for a few months and meet inside the cage to settle their rivalry.
"They can meet in four months if that's what they want to do."
Dana White aiming to bring Khabib Nurmagomedov out of UFC retirement
Khabib Nurmagomedov had teased a meeting with Dana White weeks ago, right after announcing his retirement from the sport. It was not revealed at the moment why he was meeting the UFC head, or what would be the subject matter of their discussion.
Dana White recently told ESPN that he was meeting Khabib to convince him to come out of the retirement.
He also discussed the possibility of Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov II.
"No matter what you think of Conor personally, Conor McGregor is not only one of the best in the world, but one of the best to ever do it. And right now, he's as focused as he's ever been. I don't know if this is going to be the same Conor after the Poirier fight, but if this Conor sticks around for the next year, how do you not do Khabib vs. Conor again?"