Conor McGregor has given his reaction to the news that Khabib Nurmagomedov has pulled out of his fight with Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, likening it to a high-stakes game of chicken between the two.
“I am in shape to fight right now!” McGregor stated.
“At the beginning of all this, I said to myself – I’m happy I don’t have an official fight booked. If I did, I would have consumed all the incorrect data to support me taking part in the bout, and I would have followed through, competed. And won.
“The fact of this matter is, both Tony and Khabib where engaged in a game of chicken here towards the fight bell. With Khabib chickening out first. Making it 3-2 in pullouts in Tony’s favour. Khab scurried out of the U.S to home, and amid the crisis. Very high risk.
“Congrats Tony.”
McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh had previously hinted that there “could be a third option” after rumors started circulating about Justin Geathje being a possible replacement to go up against Tony Ferguson.
However, it seems doubtful that the UFC would want to wheel out there biggest star in McGregor on such short notice while also missing out on the huge economic impact that a ‘Notorious’ fight generates from travelling fans, etc during fight week that wouldn’t be possible at this time.
It should also be said that McGregor has been vocal publicly in recent days about people adhering to current coronavirus guidelines to stay at home, even going as far as to call for a military lockdown in his native Ireland, so it would be a curious decision if he then agreed to fly to a random destination to fight Tony Ferguson on short notice.
