History Behind the Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov Beef: How Promise of a Million Dollars by the Irishman Eventually Led to a Full-Blown Beef Between the Two Friends

Published 12/08/2023, 1:27 AM EST

Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov were once considered best friends, but the relationship has soured over the years. The two men have been involved in an ongoing feud surrounding McGregor’s ‘Proper 12’ whiskey brand. Nevertheless, the pair were once so loyal to one another that ‘The Notorious’ hopped on a plane to confront Khabib Nurmagomedov for slapping Lobov! The slap was also the catalyst behind the now infamous incident where McGregor threw a dolly at a bus full of UFC fighters and Nurmagomedov in Brooklyn before UFC 223.

But the relationship splintered after McGregor launched his whiskey brand, which he later sold to add $150 million to his worth. The sale and profits from the deal form the basis of Lobov’s complaints against McGregor. In their legal battle, Lobov has claimed that McGregor owes him a share of the profits from the brand’s sale. As such, let’s explore the latest developments in the saga between the friends-turned-rivals!

Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov’s legal battle

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Conor McGregor, in a legal battle with former sparring partner Artem Lobov, recently admitted to offering $1 million for Lobov’s contributions to developing a whiskey brand. Lobov’s lawsuit claimed he was the original creator and co-founder of the Irish whiskey concept associated with McGregor, seeking details about McGregor’s earnings from the brand’s sale to Proximo Spirits for $600 million in 2021.

Lobov alleged an oral agreement entitling him to 5% of the proceeds, a claim that has been contested by McGregor. However, in a recent report by Bloody Elbow, McGregor confirmed offering $1 million to Lobov in 2020 but clarified it was for a prior whiskey venture.

Lobov contended that he proposed the whiskey idea in 2016, identifying potential partners, with a deal ensuring McGregor’s 100% ownership and profit-sharing with distillers.

McGregor, however, formed a joint venture with Proximo Spirits through Eire Born Ventures. During a discovery motion, McGregor’s counsel described the dispute as “hotly contested,” seeking an adjournment due to objections over the scope and relevance of discovery requests.

Further developments in the case are yet to be revealed, and fans of the Irish superstar are also still awaiting confirmations about his UFC return. As such, a former UFC lightweight champion has come out and made some interesting observations regarding the delayed McGregor vs. Michael Chandler bout!

McGregor and his delayed return claimed to be part of UFC’s “tactics”

In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Eddie Alvarez shared a theory on the delay in announcing the Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight. Both served as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31, with plans for a matchup in McGregor’s return to MMA.

Alvarez, having fought McGregor in 2016, believes the UFC has employed a tactic of involving additional fighters to weaken negotiation leverage.

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Drawing from his experience, Alvarez stated, “Their play is, we can’t just have two guys involved and know that they’re going to fight each other, because if they know that, now they have leverage to say, ‘Hey, I want this much.’ So they always get a third or fourth or fifth guy involved to beat your price down to nothing.”

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Alvarez acknowledged that fighters often discover their matchups and opponents on the UFC’s terms, speculating a similar situation for McGregor and Chandler. The uncertainty surrounding the fight booking remains, with Alvarez’s insights shedding light on potential negotiation strategies employed by the UFC.

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Do you think the UFC is using the tactics mentioned by Alvarez in delaying Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by:

I am Dushyant Patni, a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. My passion for Mixed Martial Arts started because my father used to be a boxer and a martial arts fanatic. It passed down to me as my first pair of boxing gloves were his old ones! Prior to joining EssentiallySports, I honed my writing and editing skills across various organizations as a writer and an editor.

Edited by:

Joyita Das

History Behind the Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov Beef: How Promise of a Million Dollars by the Irishman Eventually Led to a Full-Blown Beef Between the Two Friends

Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov’s legal battle

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McGregor and his delayed return claimed to be part of UFC’s “tactics”