Tony Ferguson vs Conor McGregor? Coach hints at possibility -

Could Conor McGregor be the one to step up and face Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 249?

UFC 249 has been dealt a series of tough blows. The event was first planned for April 18th in Brooklyn, but the ongoing covid-19 pandemic put a stop to that. UFC president Dana White later insisted that he has a venue planned for the event, despite global shutdowns of sporting events. While much pointed towards the event taking place in the United Arab Emirates, it started to matter less and less as UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was stranded in Russia due to a nation wide travel ban. This has begged the question as to who will fill the role as other half of the main event.

Former interim champ Tony Ferguson, who was scheduled to face Nurmagomedov, has been offered Justin Gaethje as a replacement. The fight is far from official or agreed upon at this moment, however. Though now another name has been thrown into the mix: Conor McGregor.

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ESPN’s Ariel Helwani posted a poll on Twitter, asking fans whether Ferguson should accept the Gaethje bout or wait for Nurmagomedov. McGreor’s long time head coach John Kavanagh answered: “Maybe there’s a third option,” obviously implying McGregor.

maybe there's a third option…

— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) March 31, 2020

While this certainly livens up the discussion, it clearly goes against McGregor’s own sentiments. He recently plead for a complete lockdown in his native Ireland to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. He urged people to stay indoors, and implied that he planned on doing so as well. Him travelling around the world to face Ferrguson on short notice certainly would be hypocritical considering his message to his countrymen.