McGregor, who is arguably the UFC's biggest superstar, was originally scheduled to face Nate Diaz at the UFC 200 mixed martial arts event in Las Vegas in July. However, last week it was revealed that McGregor and the UFC couldn't agree on certain media obligations with McGregor failing to attend a big press conference. During the media event, UFC President Dana White said the Irish superstar was withdrawn from the UFC 200 card.
As the UFC and McGregor were trying to work out the details of their contract, Russian MMA promotion company Eurasia Fight Nights made a lucrative offer to McGregor, seeking to sign the Irishman to fight against Rasul Mirzaev, an undefeated fighter with a professional MMA record of 14-0.
"So, Fight Nights has indeed made an offer to Conor McGregor. And he can really fight Mirzaev in June," Safonov tweeted Wednesday.
В общем. FIGHT NIGHTS действительно сделало предложение Конору Макгрегору. И он действительно может подраться с Мирзаевым в июне. #mma
— Alexey Safonov (@from_safonov) 27 апреля 2016 г.
Earlier, Mirzaev published a post on his Instagram account, challenging McGregor to fight him.
"I think that circumstances [are bringing] us towards each other! Fight Nights Global has a great event June 17 and looksfor my next opponent. Let's be a part of this, let's fight! I'm the best opponent you've ever had," Mirzaev wrote on his account.
When Mirzaev was interviewed by Safonov for the Russian newspaper Moskovskiy Komsomolets (MK), the fighter said now Eurasia Fight Nights is waiting for McGregor's answer. If the Irishman agrees, there is indeed a chance he might be facing Mirzaev in St. Petersburg on June 17.
When Safonov asked Mirzaev whether he thinks the Irishman had opponents of the same level as him, Mirzaev answered only two fighters who faced McGregor, Jose Aldo and Nate Diaz, were at the same level as the 30-year-old Dagestani.
"Yes, there was Jose Aldo. And probably Nate Diaz, who showed everyone what McGregor really is about," Mirzaev told MK in an interview.
McGregor, known for his brilliant technique and devastating power in his left-hand, has had an incredible rise in the UFC over the past few years, going through his opponents in the featherweight division (145 pounds = 65 kg) like a hot knife through the butter. He defeated a long-standing champion, Jose Aldo, with one punch in a fight that lasted 13 seconds and won the featherweight title last December.
After knocking out Aldo, McGregor did something unexpected and decided to go up two weight classes above his own and fight Nate Diaz, a tough brawler from Stockton, California. Despite all of McGregor's talents, the size advantage that Diaz had over him proved to be too much for the Irishman to handle. After a back-and-forth bloodbath, Diaz managed to submit McGregor with a rear-naked choke, ending the Irishman's 15-fight winning streak.
