Artem Lobov Hasn’t Forgotten About Zubaira Tukhugov
Could we see Artem Lobov return to the UFC after one and a half years away from the Octagon? Since losing to Michael Johnson, ‘The Russian Hammer’ has been competing in bare knuckle boxing. But with UFC Dublin approaching in August, the 33 year is asking for a one fight contract with the promotion.
And Lobov has the perfect opponent in mind.
“I definitely would want to do that. You know people talk a lot about me fighting Zubaira [Tukhugov]. I’m still very much interested in that fight. Still gonna donate every single a dollar from that fight to charity. And it would be good to do it in Dublin. All I ask, I would love to have a one-fight deal. Like I said to the UFC is that, you know, I’m not going to be making any money from this. This is not a money issue for me. This is a fight that has to happen. I would just come in for one fight deal in Dublin, Ireland. It would make a lot of sense for them to have me on that card,” Lobov told The Mac Life.
‘’The reason I say just one fight deal is that I’m very, very keen and very, very set on competing in pro boxing in bare-knuckle boxing and MMA. And obviously, if I’m assigned to UFC exclusively — you know. I understand that such a big promotion that this would just not work — So that’s why I wouldn’t want to be completely committed 100% with the UFC because that means all I can do is MMA. And I really want to explore all the options.”
Lobov and Tukhugov have history. The two were supposed to fight previously at UFC Moncton in October 2018, but Zubaira was pulled from the fight after he jumped into the cage to attack Conor McGregor at UFC 229.
Training out of SBG Ireland in Dublin, Lobov says he would to fight Tukhugov at UFC Dublin but would accept a fight with him anywhere.
“I’m sure he would have to accept it and I’m not sure if he was keen or not, but if that offer came. I don’t think he would be in a position to turn it down,” Lobov said. “Just like, if that offer came to me to fight him anywhere on this planet, I would accept it.
“I’m saying UFC Dublin, just because that’s on the radar and we started speaking about it, but really that fight interests me everywhere. Is a potential fight coming out? If that’s so they can settle their score once and for all. However, we will see if that happens regardless of the coronavirus outbreak.”
Would you like to see the UFC bring back Artem Lobov for one fight against Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC Dublin?
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