John Kavanagh Would ‘Almost Bet Anything’ Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor Happens in 2018

Count Conor McGregor’s coach among those who believes his fighter will square off with Khabib Nurmagomedov at some point in 2018.

In an interview with MMA analyst Robin Black (video courtesy of MMANytt.se), SBG Ireland head trainer John Kavanagh made a bold statement regarding the highly-anticipated lightweight bout.

“It’s the obvious fight, as his coach and as a fan,” Kavanagh said. “As a fan of MMA, it’s the fight I want to see as well. I would almost bet anything — almost bet anything — that fight happens before the end of the year.

“I can’t imagine it not happening.”

McGregor is scheduled for his next court appearance on July 26 for his role in an attack on a bus carrying UFC fighters and employees at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., this past April. McGregor threw a dolly through a window of the bus, shattering glass and injuring fighters Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg. He is facing charges of assault and criminal mischief, but his legal team is in the process of negotiating a plea deal that will likely keep the Dublin native out of jail. McGregor has not fought in the Octagon since defeating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in November 2016.

Nurmagomedov, who was on the bus at the time, claimed the vacant lightweight title with a five-round verdict over Al Iaquinta in the UFC 223 main event two days later. The Dagestani champion recently said that he is hoping McGregor will be his next opponent at an upcoming UFC event in Las Vegas.