UFC 249: Conor McGregor says ‘I’m in shape to fight right now’ after Khabib ‘chickened out’ vs Tony Ferguson amid coronavirus crisis
- Irishman blasts UFC lightweight champion for ‘scurrying out of the US’ amid the coronavirus crisis
- McGregor teases fans after Ferguson calls him out to replace Nurmagomedov, who is stranded in Russia
With the MMA world reeling after the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson match-up was scrapped for a fifth time, Conor McGregor teased fans who are hungry to see him step in and save the show at UFC 249.
UFC president Dana White is scrambling to find a new opponent for Ferguson – and an actual location for the April 18 event – after Khabib confirmed he is quarantining with his family in Russia, where the borders are closed amid the global Covid-19 crisis.
“I am in shape to fight right now!” McGregor tweeted on Thursday from his native Ireland. “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.”
Following a submission defeat by Khabib in October 2018, McGregor returned to the Octagon after a 14-month lay-off to TKO Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds.