Artem Lobov opens up on fractured relationship with Conor McGregor, multimillion-dollar whiskey war

Yahoo

2 days ago

Artem Lobov delivered a surprising message for Conor McGregor on Tuesday despite their ongoing multimillion-dollar whiskey war.
Lobov was once as vital to McGregor's camp as head coach John Kavanagh. The two weren't just sparring partners who bloodied each other in Dublin's Straight Blast Gym. They were brothers.
'We always had each other's back,' Lobov told Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show." 'I showed him unmatched loyalty. Who was more loyal to him than I was? I did everything for him.'
That bond shattered over a handshake agreement Lobov says McGregor broke — a promise to give him a cut of McGregor's Proper No. Twelve profits when the whiskey brand was sold.
Lobov, who says he turned down payment for years of sparring with McGregor, claims he co-founded the product. He researched the market, convinced McGregor to ignore calls for a premium release that would have priced out the working man, and spotted the gap for an affordable bottle instead. He claims he also fought against an 'option' deal that capped profits far below market value — a move he says would've cost McGregor millions.
According to Lobov, McGregor shook his hand and guaranteed him 5% 'no matter what.' And so, when Proxima Spirits bought the brand for $600 million, McGregor reportedly received $130 million. Lobov feels he should have received a $6.5 million share.
The arrangement had worked before. Lobov says a TV deal he set up for McGregor paid far more than expected, and McGregor rewarded him with a 233% bonus. 'Whenever we did camps, I was the only one who never accepted a cent,' Lobov said. 'I'd say, 'Conor, I'm not taking this. You're my brother.''
But with Proper No. Twelve, he says the betrayal cut deeper. 'I put the biggest piece of meat on Conor's table and he wouldn't cut me a tiny slice so my family could eat,' Lobov says.
The dispute is now in Ireland's High Court. Lobov is suing for the $6.5 million, with a trial set for December. 'He knows I'm in the right and f***** me over,' Lobov says. McGregor denies the claims.
It's not just money Lobov wants. He wants acknowledgement. 'They booted me to the side, no recognition, nothing,' he says, accusing McGregor's manager Audie Attar of driving a wedge in their friendship. 'I want to show who was a true and loyal friend, and who was a snake.'
The feud resurfaced during Lobov's Tuesday appearance on Uncrowned, where he also announced a long-awaited return to fighting — his first professional MMA bout since 2018.
'Seven years in the making,' he wrote Monday on social media, alongside a poster for his return match with Zubaira Tukhugov. 'Time to get revenge.'
Lobov had turned down offers to fight before, he says. He wasn't interested unless the purse was big or the opponent was right. But PFL executive Mike Kogan had that opponent ready for him, and so they agreed to a swift, one-fight deal. Lobov will fight Tukhogov in Dubai at a PFL event on Oct. 3.
Their history runs back to 2018, when former UFC lightweight champion and fierce McGregor rival Khabib Nurmagomedov confronted Lobov over comments he made while defending McGregor. 'If somebody called your friend a chicken in Russia, it's more severe … you'd respond,' Lobov says.
It escalated when Nurmagomedov cornered Lobov a second time — this time with 'a gang of people.' Tukhogov was there, backing Nurmagomedov up, screaming, 'Let's go, one-on-one,' Lobov says. The UFC almost booked a bout between Lobov and Tukhogov, but canceled those plans after the Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor feud exploded into one of the most volatile in UFC history.
Lobov says Tukhogov has 'never looked that brave' in the cage, accusing him of relying on wrestling and 'tapping out' under pressure. Outside the cage, though, Lobov points to his opponent's powerful connections in Russia — alleged ties to controversial Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov — which make a street fight a foolish proposition to accept. 'Who wants that? Let's do it like real men, one-on-one … let's get in the cage and settle it like professional fighters,' Lobov says.
Seven years later, they will.
Meanwhile, Lobov's old friend McGregor has his own fights ahead of him. He's teased a political run in Ireland — something Lobov thinks should be postponed. 'He needs to stop messing [around], get back into the gym, and get fit,' Lobov says. 'The way forward is grappling. Just grapple. It's fun, it'll get your body ready for fighting again. He needs his mojo back.'
It's hard to imagine McGregor taking Lobov's advice, as he's recently called Lobov a 'rat.'
'This is a different Conor," Lobov says. "I don't even recognize him.'
Still, Lobov believes if McGregor rededicates himself, it won't be long before he books the rematch he's craved since 2018. If McGregor returns to the UFC and secures himself a knockout win, then Lobov is convinced it would lure Nurmagomedov back to the sport too. 'Khabib would come back for that fight,' Lobov says. 'The whole world would be talking about [their rematch]. That would be a comeback fight for the ages.'
Though Lobov is resigned to the change in McGregor, he appears to still hope that he changes back.
'I want to see the old Conor back,' Lobov says. 'Then, everything will be sweet between us.'