While the champ is away…
Conor McGregor is off enjoying his time away from the UFC after 12 months that included three victories, one defeat, one retirement, one comeback, two titles and a whole lot of cheese.
Stuffed into a half a milli pic.twitter.com/AIxkTw8pcd
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 12, 2016
Having been forced to give up his featherweight belt, McGregor is now officially listed as the UFC lightweight champion. Dana White, the promotion’s president, does not expect ‘The Notorious’ back until next summer when, all things going well, he will be a first-time father.
That leaves the 155lbs division with some jostling for the No.1 contender slot, to claim a shot at McGregor – and all the money that fight entails – upon his return.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is listed as No.1 contender by the UFC but Tony Ferguson, who most recently smote Rafael Dos Anjos, is right on his heels. While the champion is off on leave, the pair tore into each other on Twitter and whet the appetite for a 2017 bout.
Nurmagomedov started by claiming Ferguson was holding out on signing a bout agreement before Ferguson reminded him that he had pulled out of a scheduled fight in January 2015. It escalated from there.
I Was Ready For Jan Ace, Your Puss Had Too Much Sand In It Still From The Last Fight. You Talk Too Much 😂
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) December 12, 2016
I was ready in April main event on fox and you pulled out. https://t.co/Evkj9B1oWQ
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) December 13, 2016
Ferguson was then daubed as a fan-boy for asking Nurmagomedov to hop in for a picture with him.
Next time you see me don't ask me for picture like fan boy. When you ask me for picture you will get slap in your face https://t.co/Evkj9B1oWQ
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) December 13, 2016
We suspect that the next time the pair are pictured together they will be staring each other down with a fight date set.
Once both men pen bout agreements, this will be one of 2017’s most anticipated fights.
