MMA coach and former training partner of Conor McGregor, Artem Lobov, shared his thoughts on McGregor’s recent withdrawal from the Irish presidential race.
UFC star Conor McGregor pulled out of his presidential candidacy following the announcement of the upcoming UFC White House Card. Many believe his decision was influenced by a potential return to competition at the historic event. Regardless of the reason, Lobov welcomed the move and believes it was the right choice.
“This time around, I support the decision to withdraw because I don’t think Conor is in the right space right now. Not in the right mindset to run for president. He has to get his ducks in a row first. We saw he pulled out of a press conference. That’s not Conor. I know Conor that showed up to fight for the interim belt with no legs. Both of his ligaments were torn in both of the knees, he was completely unable to walk and still showed up,” Lobov said.
“That’s the Conor I know. That’s the Conor that people believe would make a good president. I agree. That Conor for sure would make a great president and would address all the issues that need to be addressed right now in Ireland.”
Lobov continued by stressing that McGregor still has personal matters to handle before taking on such a heavy responsibility.
“I don’t think he’s in the right mind frame right now to run for president. There’s a lot of things he needs to fix before he can take on such an important role. I see it as a good thing him dropping out,” Lobov added.
During a PFL conference call, Lobov revealed that McGregor has been building political contacts, which could prove valuable if he decides to pursue politics in the future.
“Running for president is something that we have spoken about all the way back,” Lobov told MMA Fighting. “One of the reasons for me arranging a meeting with [Russian president] Vladimir Putin for Conor was that he had those kinds of future aspirations. Running for president, you want to establish some contacts in the political world, and obviously Vladimir Putin is one of the main figures in politics worldwide. We always spoke about that.”
Although Lobov and McGregor are no longer as close due to a legal dispute over proceeds from the Proper No. 12 whiskey brand, Lobov once fully supported the idea of his friend pursuing the presidency.
Looking ahead, “The Russian Hammer” is set to return to competition after more than four years away. Lobov will face Zubaira Tukhugov in a highly anticipated bout that traces back to the days of McGregor’s feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
