In a little over a month, the explosive Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon after a nearly two-year hiatus. The former lightweight champion will challenge current champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight belt in the main event at UFC 229 on October 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It's a matchup that fans have been dying to see and the UFC is building towards it, revealing today the official poster for UFC 229. Of course, it features both fighters front-and-center with the slogan "The world is watching." The flags of each fighter's respective country are overlayed in their eyes.
Anticipation towards this fight has been building for quite some time now, but the rivalry really intensified at UFC 223 in April. Following a hotel incident between Nurmagomedov and McGregor's teammate, Artem Lobov, McGregor sought revenge when he snuck into the Barclays Center after a news conference and attacked a bus containing Nurmagomedov and other UFC fighters. McGregor threw a metal dolly through the bus window, injuring two UFC fighters in the process.
McGregor accepted a plea deal from the Brooklyn District Attorney's office last month, pleading guilty to a single disorderly conduct violation. Avoiding jail time and a criminal record, he was sentenced to five days community service, anger management, and full restitution to the bus company.
Legal issues aside, the entire incident has served as some entertaining pre-fight theatrics. As expected, footage of the incident has been used as marketing material for the fight, leading some to believe the entire thing was planned from the start.
McGregor (21-3) has not fought in the UFC since November 2016 when he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to claim the lightweight title, making him the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles in two weight divisions simultaneously. Shortly afterward, the UFC announced that McGregor had vacated his featherweight title.
McGregor made his professional boxing debut in a big money fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last August which he lost via TKO in the 10th round. Due to inactivity in the UFC, McGregor was forced to relinquish the lightweight belt as well, which Nurmagomedov (26-0) won when he defeated Al Iaquinta at UFC 223 in April.
McGregor will now attempt to reclaim the 155-pound championship at UFC 229, and as the poster proclaims, the world will be watching.