Three things that happened to Conor McGregor during 2022
Despite not having featured in the octagon in 2022, Conor McGregor has remained at the forefront of fans' and fighters' minds thanks to a mix of his social media antics and call-outs from those inside the cage.
On this list, we'll be taking a look at three of the top stories involving the Irishman from across the year, which include Michael Chander's infamous call-out, Artem Lobov's lawsuit, and Anthony Smith's accusations.
3. When Michael Chandler called out Conor McGregor
Dana White and the UFC will be thanking the lucky stars as they landed Michael Chandler's signature in 2021 just as Conor McGregor was put out of action for the year.
The charismatic American has taken the UFC by storm and become one of the most popular fighters on the roster. 'Iron' also made MMA history earlier this year when he faced veteran Tony Ferguson in the octagon at UFC 274.
After an evenly contested first-round, 'Iron' landed a devastating front-kick KO to 'El Cucuy', handing him the first KO loss of his career.
Omg. Michael Chandler kicked Tony Ferguson into a KO! 😯 https://t.co/bcP8hGKVmT
Having just landed one of the most impressive finishes in the history of the sport, Chandler made history yet again by cutting arguably the greatest post-fight promo of all time, demanding a fight against McGregor.
"I got one dude on my mind. Conor McGregor! You gotta come back and fight somebody and I am the most entertaining lightweight on the planet, but I want to up the stakes Conor. I want you at your biggest, I want you at your baddest, I want you at your best. You and me at 170lbs!"
Catch the interview here:
2. Artem Lobov sues Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov's once-budding friendship has been left in tatters after Lobov filed multiple lawsuits against the Irishman earlier this year.
'The Russian Hammer' claimed that he was instrumental in the idea and development of McGregor's Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey but was forced out of the company. The 36-year-old also believes that he's entitled to up to 5% of profits from McGregor's sale of shares last year.
In 2021, Proximo Spirits acquired Conor McGregor's majority shares in the Whiskey company, which were worth a reported $600 million. If Lobov's claims are deemed true, he could be owed up to $30 million from the sale.
JUST IN
🚨JUST IN🚨
Conor McGregor is being sued by Artem Lobov over a Euro deal for Proper 12.
Lobov alleges he “came up with the idea” & “was instrumental in developing the brand”
Lobov believes he’s entitled to “5pc of the proceeds McGregor got from the sale of the brand.” https://t.co/rfy0MTvNT0
Lobov also recently attempted to file another lawsuit against the UFC star for defamation after McGregor referred to him as a "rat" on social media, but the High Court rejected the claim.
1. When Anthony Smith accused Conor McGregor of taking PED's
Earlier this year, UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith questioned why Conor McGregor would remove himself from the USADA testing pool during his recovery from his injury.
During his time away from the sport, "Notorious" has regularly updated fans about his rehabilitation and recovery. The 34-year-old has been sporting a bulky physique in recent months, with his own claims that he's pushing nearly 200lbs ahead of his octagon return.
According to Smith, there would be no need to remove yourself from the pool if you were a clean athlete. "Lionheart" also suggested that McGregor's speedy recovery from his leg break was also suspicious.
The former double champ took issue with Anthony Smith's accusations, labeling him a "rat" and claiming that he was in fact the most tested MMA athlete on the planet.
"This rat spoke to Weidman who’d the same horrific injury and is having severe complications still, is bothered that I was able to heal/return to a normal way of life. He, like many other rats in my game, would be happier if I wasn’t able to play with my children the same again."
McGregor followed up his tweet by adding:
"The audacity of this loser! @lionheartsmith you're a loser. The % of the bones joining back after a break like this is so low. You think I give a f**k about anything else. I am the most tested fighter of all time in combat. I give everything to this game. You - Nothing!"
He later deleted the post from Twitter.