This is the first edition of MMA Rumors. With fight announcements, the odd piece of breaking news and more, we figured we’d throw some rumors at you daily, well maybe. Today’s MMA rumors feature the first fight announced for UFC Kazakhstan and Dana White on what’s next for Conor McGregor.
MMA Rumors
UFC Kazakhstan
Rumor: MMA DNA announced on Tuesday morning that the first fight was set for the June 13 UFC Kazakhstan event. It will be a light heavyweight match-up between Khadis Ibragimov and Roman Dolidze.
***BREAKING***
Here is your first fight in the works for the rumored event on June 13th in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Khadis Ibragimov vs. Roman Dolidze will fight each other in the Light-Heavyweight division.#UFCKazakhstan #UFCNurSultan https://t.co/JJCA1MZLj6 pic.twitter.com/Hz5b21PCEW
— MMA DNA (@MMADNANL) March 3, 2020
Ibragimov (8-2) is 0-2 inside the Octagon. The Russian made his UFC debut in August 2019 at UFC Fight Night 157. He lost that match via guillotine against Da Un Jung. In November 2019 he made his sophomore appearance, losing a decision to veteran Ed Herman.
Dolidze (6-0) will make his Octagon debut in Kazakhstan. All six of his victories have come by way of either submission or knockout. The man hailing from Georgia has not fought since December 2018.
Dana White
Rumor: Conor McGregor might not wait for the Khabib Nurmagomedov fight
After Conor McGregor obliterated Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, UFC President Dana White made it crystal clear that the Irish bad boy’s next fight would be against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“Listen, every time there’s someone out there fun … there’s always someone fun that can match up,” White said at the UFC 246 post-fight press conference. “When you look at what makes sense, we’re in a place where Conor has said going into the Khabib fight he had a lot of personal stuff, injuries, all these things going on. And he’s been obsessed with getting that rematch cuz he knows he wasn’t 100 percent.
”And when you look at this for Khabib, Khabib is 28-0, he’s undefeated,” he continued. “You start talking about this kid’s legacy – first of all, to go 28-0 in this sport, I don’t care who you fought, it’s tough to do. This kid’s a world champion. And after tonight, with how Khabib won the first time and how famous Khabib has become since that first fight, we’re looking at Haggler-Hearns. Ali–Foreman, Ali–Fraser. This is a massive fight with global appeal. It’s the fight that you make. It’s the fight that makes sense. It’s for the 155-pound title.”
Well, White spoke with TMZ Sports and changed his feelings on the topic of who McGregor could fight next. “Khabib if he wins [at UFC 249],” White recently told TMZ Sports. “But I don’t know if Conor wants to wait for him. We’ll see what happens. Conor might not wait.”
