Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Bisping says Saudi Arabia has money to throw around and the UFC should cash in.
Michael Bisping sees dollar signs in a Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told TMZ Sports that people in Saudi Arabia are offering the UFC lightweight champion $100 million to bring them a rematch against McGregor or fight Floyd Mayweather.
”I know some people in Saudi Arabia, right now, they met with me, they want to pay $100 million to Khabib to fight Conor in Saudi Arabia,” Abdelaziz claimed. “They want to pay Khabib $100 million to fight Floyd [Mayweather] in Saudi Arabia.”
Bisping shared his thoughts on the offer on a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast.
“Well, but they’re just trying to turn it into a sporting destination,” Bisping said of a Khabib vs. Conor rematch (h/t BJ Penn). “Whether it’s boxing, whether it’s Formula 1, whatever it is they’re just trying to bring things there. Trying to give it a re-branding so to speak. It’s smart, you know, it is. And they’ve got the money, they’ve got all the oil there so a hundred million to them I mean it’s still a hundred million. If I’m the UFC, I try and make that happen.
Bisping suggested the only major hurdle to hosting an event in Saudi Arabia is UFC’s existing relationship with Abu Dhabi.
Nurmagomedov (28-0) has his hands full in the meantime as he prepares for Tony Ferguson (25-3) and their lightweight title clash at UFC 249 on April 18.