Tensions ahead of the much-anticipated bout between Russia’s UFC World Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Ireland’s Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor heated up as the fighters’ face-to-face presser on Friday in Las Vegas was tarnished by McGregor’s late appearance.

The Nurmagomedov-McGregor fight is scheduled to be held within the frames of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 229 in Las Vegas this Saturday, October 6, at the 20,000-seat capacity T-Mobile Arena. All tickets for the fight had been immediately sold as they were rolled out in mid-August.

Russia’s Nurmagomedov showed up on time for the scheduled press conference with McGregor and saying that he was on a strict schedule because of the weight cut ahead of the fight he asked the audience to begin without his Irish opponent.

"I no need wait for nobody. Friends are here, media is here, everybody is here. I begin and if you have questions - let’s go," Nurmagomedov said.

Within next 15 minutes the 30-year-old Russian fighter answered questions about him losing the weight, the attack on his bus earlier in the year in New York and other issues. Asked whether he would shake hands with McGregor after the bout on Saturday, Nurmagomedov was curt to reply "No."

Nurmagomedov thanked everyone present at the press conference and left the room leaving alone in front UFC President Dana White, who said "Well, this is awkward."

About ten minutes later, McGregor showed for the presser saying he was late because of traffic jams and once again flashed a bottle of Irish whiskey, just like at the previous news conference last month in New York.

"He’s better off running anyway," the 30-year-old Irish fighter said. "I bet you he was saying a load of… [expletives]… over here. "He didn’t say anything the last time [at September press conference in New York]."

Answering the following questions McGregor went on about predictions of win in his favor, about the upcoming fight, criticized Nurmagomedov and his manager Ali Abdelaziz, kept flashing a bottle of whiskey and then left.

On April 8, Nurmagomedov defeated his US opponent Al Iaquinta in a five-round fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight belt in New York.

Nurmagomedov became the first Russian to be awarded the UFC champion title. The 29-year-old Russian clinched the 26th victory in his career with no defeats, while Al Iaquinta suffered his fourth defeat with 13 victories and one draw.

The Russian fighter was initially scheduled to square off with Max Holloway for the title of the UFC lightweight champion in New York, but Holloway did not pass the weighing procedure and doctors ordered him against the fight.

Last time McGregor fought in the UFC was in November 2016, when he defeated Eddie Alvarez to become the UFC Lightweight Champion. McGregor has a record of 16 knockouts, one submission win and 12 first-round finishes in the UFC.

However, he never attempted to defeat the title for the period of two years and the bout for the new UFC champion in lightweight category was scheduled in New York on April 8 between Russia’s Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway of the United States.

Nurmagomedov made his UFC debut on January 20, 2012, defeating Iran’s Kamal Shalorus by submission (rear naked choke).

The encounter with Al Iaquinta was the tenth in the UFC for the Dagestani-born mixed martial arts fighter, who won all of his ten bouts.