We still don't really know what Conor McGregor meant by his perplexing tweet about losing the match and winning the battle. It didn't look like he won anything squaring off against Khabib Nurmagomedov Saturday night in Las Vegas. However, we know he was serious when he said he wanted a rematch right after the fight, and the ensuing brawl concluded. UFC President Dana White says McGregor has already reached out to him about the rematch, but it's unclear whether Khabib's cage-hopping melee after the win will hold up the rematch.
"[Nurmagomedov] has to go before the Nevada commission, and we have to see what's going to happen with Khabib and this whole mess," White said Monday. "But Conor McGregor has already called me, wanting a rematch.
"That's what Conor has asked for. We'll see what happens with Khabib and what's next," he added.
One possible sticking point to the rematch could be the purse, and not the $2 million the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) is withholding from Khabib, pending an investigation into the post-fight fracas in the stands and the octagon (no such delay for McGregor, though). White said multiple members of Khabib's group were arrested, but Conor declined to press charges.
However, it's what Khabib's American Kickboxing teammate, Luke Rockhold, said about a rematch that could prevent it from coming together. On Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on Monday, Rockhold, a former middleweight champion, said of the UFC, "If you want Khabib, he'll want a record-breaking number."
Whether money ultimately stands in the way of a rematch remains unknown, but it's clear McGregor is ready to go again, and we'd be shocked if Khabib didn't leverage his Saturday night win for a lot more money—McGregor is, by far, the UFC's biggest earner—and the $2 million purse he's still owed.
White says the UFC is waiting to hear what the NSAC rules before deciding who Khabib fights next. The undefeated Russian fighter could be suspended or fined for what happened and may have to do community service.
"There's no doubt he's justified for being upset," White said on Monday of Khabib. "But first of all, you, you just won the fight against the biggest superstar in all of sports, let alone our sport. You just beat him while the whole world was watching. ... The only one getting hurt in this thing now is Khabib. Now he has to go before the Nevada commission."
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