Dana White says Conor McGregor has already called about a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov, but he may have to wait in line
- Dana White said on Monday that Conor McGregor has called him asking for a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov after tapping out in UFC 229.
- Because of the melee that ensued after the fight, White said Nurmagomedov must first go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission before determining a future opponent.
- White hinted that Tony Ferguson could be Nurmagomedov's next opponent, even with McGregor calling for a rematch.
Conor McGregor wants another shot at Khabib Nurmagomedov after the chaos at UFC 229.
McGregor was beaten by submission by Nurmagomedov on Saturday, and then a melee ensued when Nurmagomedov jumped into the crowd to attack McGregor's team while one of Nurmagomedov's teammates jumped into the Octagon to attack McGregor.
Despite the ugly scene, Dana White told ESPN's "First Take" on Monday that McGregor has already called him and asked for a rematch with Khabib. White said they have to figure out Nurmagomedov's future first.
"First of all, [Nurmagomedov] has to go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission," White said. He added that Nurmagomedov did not receive his purse from the fight because of the melee. "We'll see what happens."
Since the fight, McGregor has made several references on social media to a rematch.
However, some in the fight world have poured cold water on a rematch.
UFC analyst Joe Rogan said after the fight that Nurmagomedov won so convincingly there's no need for a rematch.
"The fight was very clear," Rogan said, according to ESPN's Chamatkar Sandhu. "Khabib dominated the fight, won the fight by submission. There's no need for a rematch."
Even McGregor's trainer, John Kavanagh, tweeted that it was a great match with a bad ending, adding, "Onto the next one."
On Monday, White said any future bouts with Nurmagomedov depend on the decision from the NSAC. He did say that Tony Ferguson, who was supposed to fight Nurmagomedov last year until it was canceled, would be a potential next opponent for Nurmagomedov.
Meanwhile, before UFC 229, McGregor had also said he would like to face Nate Diaz for a third and final fight. McGregor recently signed a six-fight deal with UFC.
UFC 229 may have ended in a messy fashion, but the fallout is only likely to produce more compelling fights.