Many know former UFC fighter Artem Lobov for his role in the infamous “Slapgate feud” between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Yet, beyond that high-profile clash, the Russian-Irish competitor has carved out his own story. A former UFC featherweight with six bouts under Dana White & Co., Lobov struggled to leave a lasting mark in the promotion.

Nevertheless, Lobov’s journeyman career—driven more by grit than glory—sharpened his skills and kept him fighting across a variety of promotions, and he now holds 30 pro-MMA contests. He has traveled a long, winding road in the sport. After a four-year hiatus, he planned to step back into the cage this week under the $1 billion PFL banner, aiming to finally close the chapter on his seven-fight rivalry with ‘Team Khabib.’ Yet, multiple sources now report that an injury casts a shadow over his much-anticipated return.

Is Artem Lobov out of the PFL event?

This week, the PFL returns to Dubai for its second visit, and it is set to reignite the simmering rivalry between Irish and Dagestani fighters. Apart from Artem Lobov, the spotlight falls on Irishman Paul Hughes, who will face Khabib’s cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, for the lightweight title in a rematch. However, the event faces uncertainty after the preliminary card suffered a major setback. Artem Lobov was set to face Team Khabib’s member Zubaira Tukhugov in a catchweight bout, but the fight is now off. The Irish-Russian fighter revealed the incident during an appearance on Russian media outlet Ushatayka on YouTube, saying he injured himself while training.

“There will be a lot of defending against leg passes,” said Artem Lobov (translated from Russian). “Grappling, so we decided to wrestle. However, for safety reasons, we started on the ground. If you start in a standing position, you can get injured. There you go. But we got it done the right way. That is, we wanted to work at full capacity, to fight exactly as it should be. And accidentally, we hit heads… There was a cut. Blood was everywhere.”

Despite their efforts, Lobov and his team tried to save the fight, but they couldn’t. As a result, this marks yet another canceled matchup between Lobov and Tukhugov.

Back in 2018, under the UFC banner at UFC Fight Night 138, they nearly fought, but Tukhugov pulled out. As for Lobov’s recent injury, the $1 billion PFL has yet to confirm the news. If true, this setback adds to the challenges in Lobov’s turbulent career, which began at UFC 223 when Conor McGregor led the infamous bus incident that caused the cancellation of his fight against Alex Caceres.

The confrontation started when Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team cornered Lobov and slapped him over earlier comments about ‘The Eagle’. For Lobov, it was a reaction to the Russian star targeting his friend. Since that day, tension between Conor McGregor and Khabib’s camp has never fully dissipated.

Artem Lobov holds Khabib Nurmagomedov responsible for igniting Slapgate feud

When Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov first crossed paths, their relationship was surprisingly cordial. Back when McGregor fought in the 145-pound division, he even called Khabib the “future champion.” But as the Irishman climbed the ranks to claim the lightweight crown, the two fighters’ paths converged—and tensions escalated. Once McGregor moved up to 155 pounds, what had been mutual respect turned into rivalry, setting the stage for one of MMA’s most infamous feuds.

The spark came during a candid interview when Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly warned McGregor to “smash” him. In response, Artem Lobov launched a verbal attack, calling the Dagestani star a “chicken” over his habit of pulling out of fights. The tension exploded at UFC 223, when Khabib and his team cornered and slapped Lobov in a hotel lobby. That confrontation triggered a chain reaction—Lobov called Conor McGregor, who stormed New York’s Barclays Center during media day, determined to make the Russian star pay for slapping his close friend.

Last month, on Ariel Helwani’s show, Artem Lobov—now on strained terms with Conor McGregor despite defending his actions—shifted the spotlight, accusing Khabib Nurmagomedov of escalating the Slapgate feud. Recalling the original confrontation, Lobov said that he and ‘The Eagle’ had initially “sorted everything” when the Russian fighter approached him and asked why he had said “sh-t” about him.

The Russian-Irish fighter explained, “I said, ‘If somebody called your friend the names that you’ve been calling Conor, you for sure would respond… You leave me no choice by talking like this.’” Looking back on the saga, Lobov made it clear, “Conor never went at Khabib,” and insisted that Khabib Nurmagomedov was the one who first “initiated” the feud.

Once bound by friendship, Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov now stand worlds apart. The infamous bus incident sparked their rivalry, and soured business dealings have deepened the divide. Today, they rarely interact, confining their encounters mostly to courtroom proceedings. With McGregor eyeing a comeback to the fighting world, fans eagerly watch to see if the two will ever reconcile.