Artem Lobov Wants One-Fight Deal To Face Zubaira Tukhugov At UFC Dublin
Former UFC featherweight Artem Lobov has asked the company to bring him back for UFC Dublin, which takes place in August.
Since being released by the UFC in January 2019, Lobov has begun competing in Bare Knuckle Boxing. After beating Paulie Malignaggi and twice sharing the ring with Jason Knight, he now apparently wants to get back into MMA.
Speaking to The Mac Life, Lobov expressed his desire to fight Zubaira Tukhugov in his adopted home of Dublin, Ireland, he said.
“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.
‘’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 at UFC Moncton in 2018, however, Zubaira was forced out of the fight after jumping the cage and attacking Conor McGregor post-fight at UFC 229.
“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.”
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