DUBAI: MMA veteran Artem Lobov (14-15-1) has had a celebrated but turbulent career, marked by high-profile opportunities, close relationships, and lingering controversies. A native of Russia who has long been based in Ireland, Lobov has struggled to put together winning streaks at crucial moments.
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His friendship with global superstar Conor McGregor — once close friends, teammates, even “brothers” — eventually soured after Lobov filed a lawsuit in Ireland’s High Court, claiming he was promised a share of the profits from McGregor’s whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve after allegedly being “instrumental in launching” the brand.
Lobov also had a hand — albeit indirectly — in setting up one of McGregor’s and the sport’s biggest fights. His scheduled bout with Dagestan’s Zubaira Tukhugov (20-6-1) in October 2018 triggered significant conflict between the two camps, who frequently had run-ins outside the cage.
This incident helped set in motion the framework for the blockbuster UFC 229 fight between their respective teammates, McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov — an event that shattered pay-per-view records and left a lasting impact on the sport, drawing about 2.4 million PPV buys.
