Conor McGregor UFC return: Why his possible appearance at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi is making headlines

Conor “The Notorious” McGregor, has, technically, retired from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) though many still believe that he could make a comeback in the near future. Despite not having any official business at the upcoming UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi, his supposed attendance is recently gaining plenty of attention in the media.

Conor McGregor: Will he attend UFC 242?

McGregor’s camp has not yet confirmed whether the Irish athlete will fly to Abu Dhabi to watch UFC 242 on Saturday, Sept. 7. It is not strange for a “retired” athlete to watch a major event of a sport that he was once involved in. But given the location and his history with Muslim Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, fans are likely interested whether McGregor is interested in watching the fight live at the venue.

The MMA fighter from Dublin’s history with Nurmagomedov is riddled with lawsuits, allegations of Islamophobic taunts, and a controversial Twitter war that went too far. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, where the official religion is Islam and practiced by around 76 percent of its population. And it can be recalled that Nurmagomedov claimed the post-fight brawl with McGregor’s team resulted from alleged anti-Muslim slurs coming from one of the Irishman’s teammates. McGregor was once again caught in another controversy last April after calling Nurmagomedov’s wife “a towel” in an apparent crack at her traditional wedding dress.

McGregor at Abu Dhabi: Dana White, Nurmagomedov react

Looking forward to UFC 242, UFC president Dana White said McGregor would “probably” watch the event live. White told ESPN he believes McGregor is still liked by fans “in that region” and suggested that the heated exchanges between him and Nurmagomedov could be just things of the past now, especially since the latter already won. White reiterated that the two fighters obviously do not like each other but also noted that it is all part of the “business” and that he does not see an issue if McGregor goes to Abu Dhabi for the event.

Nurmagomedov also welcomed the idea of having McGregor at the du Arena in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 7. However, he also issued a piece of advice saying the city does not tolerate “show-offs” and McGregor’s “shenanigans” will not work there. “If he plans to come, he should sit and watch the fights,” Nurmagomedov said. The undefeated UFC fighter will face Dustin Poirier for the main event of UFC 242.