UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former two division UFC champion Conor McGregor are expected to clash later this year.
Ali Abdelaziz serves as the agent for Nurmagomedov and says his client won’t fight McGregor for less money than Nate Diaz made for the two bouts against the Irishman.
“We will get a deal done,” Abdelaziz said at a UFC 227 media lunch. “Trust me. My relationship with Dana, Hunter, Sean, Mick. I have a different relationship. I’m not gonna overplay my hand and they need to be fair. There’s no way in hell Nate Diaz can make more money than Khabib. There’s no way in hell. [Nurmagomedov is the] undefeated, undisputed lightweight champion of the world. That’s it.”
Diaz made $500,000 for the first bout with McGregor at UFC 196 and then earned $2 million for the second encounter at UFC 202, meaning that the Stockton native earned $2,500,000 for both encounters with McGregor.
Abdelaziz has a back up plan in case McGregor balks at the fight with Nurmagomedov and that is for the champion to defend the gold against Dustin Poirier.
“If Conor starts playing games, we’re fighting Poirier,” Abdelaziz said. “Poirier will get the shot. I think he deserves it before Conor. But Conor wants to come, you’ve gotta bring your check book with you. Because he doesn’t deserve it. Poirier deserves it. “
Assuming that McGregor does take the fight against Nurmagomedov, it would mark his first UFC appearance since UFC 205 in November 2016.
