IT seems we’re all set for another ‘will-he, won’t-he’ episode involving Irish UFC superstar Conor McGregor.
The UFC featherweight champion is the biggest draw in the sport of mixed martial arts today, and it’s been widely expected that he would headline the UFC’s landmark debut event, UFC 205, at the iconic Madison Square Garden on November 12.
A champion versus champion bout with lightweight belt-holder Eddie Alvarez has been expected ever since Alvarez dethroned Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Vegas, then McGregor defeated Nate Diaz in their rematch at UFC 202.
But it seems developments have taken a detour, following news announced on the FOX Sports show UFC Tonight, which often breaks official UFC bout announcements.
On the show, reporter Megan Olivi announced five confirmed bouts for the New York event, but stopped short of unveiling the main event.
Fan favourite Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone will return to action once again against former winner of The Ultimate Fighter and rising welterweight contender Kelvin Gastelum, while former UFC lightweight champion Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar takes on hard-hitting Jeremy ‘Lil Heathen’ Stephens in a battle of two of the top featherweights in the world.
Another former world champion, ex-light-heavyweight belt-holder ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans, makes his Octagon return at middleweight against Top 10 stalwart Tim Kennedy.
And another bout at 185lbs will see UFC veterans Tim ‘The Barbarian’ Boetsch and Rafael ‘Sapo’ Natal, while women’s bantamweights Liz Carmouche and Katlyn Chookagian will face off at 135lbs.
But notable by its absence was the Alvarez-McGregor bout, with Olivi reporting that the UFC had offered Alvarez a bout at MSG with top lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov instead, only for the lightweight champ to miss the contract deadline for the bout.
The Alvarez-Nurmagomedov bout, it was suggested, is now being targeted for UFC 206 on December 10 in Toronto.
While Alvarez is reportedly being steered towards an alternative opponent, controversy is brewing over the potential involvement of McGregor at UFC 205 in The Big Apple.
UFC Tonight suggested McGregor is rehabbing a knee injury, but it’s believed the Irishman is not only fully fit, but in training for a potential bout on that November 12 card.
Alvarez has gone on record saying he wants McGregor next, calling for a bout with the Dubliner in his post-fight press conference immediately after capturing the lightweight title.
And more recently he’s taken to Twitter to call for a bout with the featherweight champ.
He said: “Let’s do this @TheNotoriousMMA I’m ready !! Your futures not bright enjoy this one while it last . #ItsAllOver”
McGregor’s indirect reply suggested there was still some negotiating to do.
He simply tweeted: “Beg me”.
Will the bout finally be made, or could the UFC be set to announce a completely different main event for the New York show?
A notice was circulated to the media last night, stating the UFC 205 launch press conference will take place at Madison Square Garden next Tuesday (September 27), featuring ‘the stars of UFC 205’, but no names were mentioned.
Hopefully we’ll know a lot more when the as-yet unnamed fighters take to the stage next week.
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