Lobov v Tukhugov: Culmination of rivalry 7 years in making

DUBAI: MMA veteran Artem Lobov (14-15-1) has had a celebrated but turbulent career, marked by high-profile opportunities, close relationships, and lingering controversies. A native of Russia who has long been based in Ireland, Lobov has struggled to put together winning streaks at crucial moments.

His friendship with global superstar Conor McGregor — once close friends, teammates, even “brothers” — eventually soured after Lobov filed a lawsuit in Ireland’s High Court, claiming he was promised a share of the profits from McGregor’s whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve after allegedly being “instrumental in launching” the brand.

Lobov also had a hand — albeit indirectly — in setting up one of McGregor’s and the sport’s biggest fights. His scheduled bout with Dagestan’s Zubaira Tukhugov (20-6-1) in October 2018 triggered significant conflict between the two camps, who frequently had run-ins outside the cage.

This incident helped set in motion the framework for the blockbuster UFC 229 fight between their respective teammates, McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov — an event that shattered pay-per-view records and left a lasting impact on the sport, drawing about 2.4 million PPV buys.

Beyond the fight itself, the night will forever be remembered for the chaos that erupted after the result, as both camps clashed once again inside the T-Mobile Arena.

Because of the fallout from that incident, Lobov’s fight with Tukhugov was canceled. The Nevada State Athletic Commission launched an investigation, and Tukhugov was pulled from the fight set for Moncton, Canada. Lobov instead faced Michael Johnson, and he eventually lost by a unanimous decision. It would be the last time the “Russian Hammer” would compete in mixed martial arts.

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