Irish fighter Conor McGregor was stripped of his UFC championship with plans to hand the title to the winner of American Tony Ferguson and Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Notorious has enjoyed a 14-month hiatus from the Octagon following his venture into boxing and the showcase fight with Floyd Mayweather last summer.
There have been repeated calls from contenders Ferguson and Nurmagomedov to defend his belt, though the Irishman has laughed off any pressure by insisting he calls the shot.
Nurmagomedov has goaded McGregor by insisting he is scared to fight him in his country and that he'll wiggle out of it by forgetting his passport, The Mirror reported.
Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight at UFC 223 on April 7 in Brooklyn, New York.
