Conor McGregor settles £442 million Artem Lobov whiskey dispute before court and hints at UFC return with bold summer fight statement

Conor McGregor is back in the news, but not for a fight just yet. The former UFC champion has settled a long legal fight with his old friend Artem Lobov over the Proper No Twelve whiskey business. The case was set to begin in Dublin, but both sides reached an agreement before it could start.

Right after that, McGregor shared a short message through his lawyer that quickly caught attention, as he spoke about focusing on a fight this summer.

Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov settle whiskey dispute over Proper No Twelve deal

The issue between Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov goes back years. Lobov had claimed that he helped come up with the idea for Proper No Twelve whiskey. He said the two men had a handshake deal in 2017 where he would get five percent from the business.The brand later became very successful. In 2021, it was sold to Proximo Spirits for about £442 million.

Reports said McGregor earned around £73 million from that deal.Artem Lobov believed he was pushed out unfairly. He said the agreement happened in a gym and that there were three people who saw it. McGregor accepted that he offered Lobov more than £700,000 for his help, but he denied any deal about sharing profits from the sale.Lobov did not accept that offer and took the case to court. But on the day the trial was supposed to begin, his lawyer Andrew Walker told the court that both sides had settled the matter.

After the hearing, Lobov was seen outside smiling and giving a thumbs up, saying he was “happy” with how things ended.Earlier, while speaking to TalkSport, Lobov had said, “In my head I was thinking, what a better man than Conor McGregor to bring Irish whiskey back to its stardom? He did it with fighting.”

Conor McGregor hints at UFC return as summer fight talk grows

Conor McGregor was not in court, but his lawyer Mark Lynam read a short statement on his behalf. That is where the big update came.McGregor said, “I’m satisfied that this matter has been resolved and I can focus on my training and this summer’s fight. I want to thank Artem for his hard work for my whiskey business.”This line about a “summer’s fight” has sparked fresh talk about his return. McGregor has not fought since losing to Dustin Poirier in 2021, but he is still one of the biggest names in the sport.There has been growing buzz about a possible fight at UFC Freedom 250, expected to take place at the White House on June 14. So far, no official fight involving McGregor has been announced. UFC president Dana White recently gave a short update, saying, “Same old. Yup,” when asked about McGregor’s return.McGregor himself has been active online, sharing training videos and talking about big demands for his comeback. Still, fans are waiting for an official confirmation before getting too excited.