Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov Booked for UFC 229

THE FIGHT IS ON!@TeamKhabib vs @TheNotoriousMMA Oct. 6 in Las Vegas at #UFC229! pic.twitter.com/GHNzmj4eWY

— #UFC227 (@ufc) August 3, 2018

Conor McGregor will finally make his long awaited Octagon return as he takes on newly-crowned lightweight champion and rival Khabib Nurmagomedov (26-0) at UFC 229 on Oct. 6, the UFC announced on Friday.

“The Notorious” hasn’t competed in mixed martial arts since wresting the lightweight title from former divisional champion Eddie Alvarez back at UFC 205 in 2016. A brief but financially lucrative foray into the boxing world manifested itself into a blockbuster bout against undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. last August, however legal troubles stemming from a Brooklyn bus attack caused McGregor (21-3) to be sidelined until the case was adjudicated when the Irishman took a plea deal that kept him from serving any jail time. The target of that assault was none other than Nurmagomedov himself.

McGregor won the lightweight strap after winning the featherweight title, but was ultimately stripped of both belts due to prolonged inactivity and failing to defend either belt.

With that backstory in mind, the UFC has plenty of fodder to promote McGregor’s Octagon return.

UFC 229 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be for Nurmagomedov’s lightweight belt.