Pressure Is on Conor McGregor to Earn Khabib Rematch with Suspensions Settled

The suspensions stemming from the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov brawl after UFC 229 last October were handed down Tuesday, and the UFC can now begin to plan how it's going to handle 2019.

Earlier this month, UFC President Dana White told TMZ Sports that he's working toward a rematch for McGregor and Nurmagomedov. And while Khabib recently told Australian reporters he is not keen to face the Irishman a second time, according to TMZ, the onus is on McGregor to show this fight needs to happen.

Nurmagomedov—who was himself suspended for nine months, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com—is not expected back until October, when the one-year suspensions of his teammates involved in the post-fight melee, Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Zubaira Tukhugov, have run their course: 

That's news no other lightweight contender wants to hear.

That likely means we will only see Khabib once this year, and that puts the pressure on McGregor, who is eligible to return from his six-month suspension in April, per Okamoto. He will need to convince him to accept a rematch before the leaves begin to change.

The lightweight king sees little reason to face McGregor, and his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, is asking for $30 million for a rematch, per Sport24 (h/t RT and MMA Mania).

He also said Khabib wants the fight in Russia and noted that other top contenders should get their chance at gold. The Nurmagomedov camp has long made a point of prioritizing competition over money and will drive a hard bargain to try to secure a fight against someone it sees as more deserving, such as Tony Ferguson.

The UFC could play hardball in return and keep pushing Khabib toward a rematch with McGregor, but it's just as easy to see the company agreeing to pair Nurmagomedov with a fighter more amenable to him and McGregor with, well, anyone else. All of these scenarios are likely to be profitable.

So, how does McGregor state his case?

It all begins with his next fight. Nothing is signed, but the stars are aligned for McGregor to battle Donald Cerrone later this year. International Fight Week in early July would be an ideal time. It is one of the UFC’s biggest stages and typically one of the biggest events. Fans can flood Las Vegas to see McGregor's return against an exciting opponent with massive implications on the table.

Cerrone took out rising star Alexander Hernandez via technical knockout at UFC Fight Night 143 in mid-January and then called out McGregor. The Irish star was quick to reply on Twitter that he would accept that fight. It is the perfect bout and opponent for McGregor.

While Cowboy is no easy out, he has a style that complements McGregor's, which is necessary for the former champion's next bout. McGregor will have the opportunity to make an emphatic return and lay claim to the next title shot.

If he is able to flatline Cerrone, McGregor can then use his unparalleled mic skills to sell the fight to the paying audience. It does not take a monumental leap to suggest McGregor could do just that if he gets a fight that fits his preferred style.

Are there more deserving contenders waiting? Absolutely. But the fight game is a business.

Top contenders such as Ferguson and Dustin Poirier are worthy, but they do not bring in the premium dollars that McGregor does. It is just a simple fact. As much as fans may suggest they want this to be a pure sport, they vote with their wallets. The winner of those votes, time and again, is McGregor. 

The first fight between Khabib and McGregor broke the old record of most pay-per-view buys for a fight (McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 2) by almost one million, and a lucrative rematch is right in front of everyone. A swift, devastating knockout from McGregor in his next bout firmly makes him the front-runner and rightful choice for Nurmagomedov's next title defense.

McGregor vs. Khabib 2 would already be the biggest fight the UFC could do, but if McGregor returns with a highlight-reel finish and then calls out Nurmagomedov, it would only make the rematch more significant. And if it gets any larger, it becomes a fight that no party, not even Khabib himself, can ignore.