Khabib Nurmagomedov warns Conor McGregor not to try antics during UFC 242

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has a simple warning for Conor McGregor — don’t pull any shenanigans in Abu Dhabi.

Nurmagomedov is scheduled to unify his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at the UFC 242 headliner on September 7 in Abu Dhabi, airing on ESPN+ in the United States. McGregor, meanwhile, has made no secret of his desire for a rematch with the Dagestan native.

Recently, UFC president Dana White claimed he wouldn’t be surprised to see McGregor in attendance during the show. He also added there would be no cultural problems given the Irishman’s previous trash talk aimed at Nurmagomedov.

Whether the former champion comes or not, “The Eagle” warned him it’s a much stricter place than New York, referencing McGregor’s infamous bus attack last year in Brooklyn.

“It will be more difficult to leave Abu Dhabi than New York,” Nurmagomedov said on the air of Russia’s Rossiya-24 television channel (via TASS). “If he plans to come, he should sit and watch the fights because it will be impossible to pull any of his underhanded tricks there.

“Abu Dhabi is no place for show-offs. Let him come if he plans to come, but his shenanigans won’t work there.”

If McGregor is on his best behavior, he could potentially face off with Nurmagomedov should the latter come out on top, which would build up a lucrative rematch even more.

However, all this is under the assumption that McGregor attends, and so far, he has given no indications as such.