'That's the way it really was' - Rizvan Magomedov recalls how the UFC manipulated Khabib Nurmagomedov for Conor McGregor's benefit

MMA manager Rizvan Magomedov recently spoke about how the UFC allegedly manipulated Khabib Nurmagomedov to further the interests of Conor McGregor.

Magomedov, the right-hand man of Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager, recalled how they realized the UFC is biased toward the Irish superstar.

Speaking to media members in Russia, Magomedov revealed that Khabib's team had already agreed to a title fight against then-UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, only to find out that it had been awarded to Conor McGregor.

In a subtitled video posted by RT Sport MMA, Rizvan Magomedov said:

"So we got two contracts [and] we signed in. We were even training for a title fight against Eddie Alvarez for a week or so. But then we found out from the media that it was Conor McGregor who would be fighting for the title."

Rizvan Magomedov is referring to the UFC 205 super-fight between McGregor and Alvarez. The event marks a significant moment in the Irishman's career, as it was when he became the UFC's first-ever simultaneous two-division champion.

Watch the full interview below:

Rizvan Magomedov takes a shot at Conor McGregor

The Russian MMA manager also shot down the narrative that Conor McGregor deserves all the credit for UFC 229. There's a perception that McGregor has a massive pull from UFC higher-ups due to his status as a cash cow.

As such, McGregor fans believe the Irishman deserves praise for agreeing to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov. Rizvan Magomedov had something to say about that, too:

"I see it slightly differently. I don't think the distribution of power inside the UFC was like that back then. The weight of Khabib's words was significant, too. He was the champion. The deserving champion who was not just gifted his title."

Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov: a personal rivalry

Bad blood began to brew between lightweight stars Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov long before they crossed paths in the octagon. The Dublin native and his crew gatecrashed a UFC 223 press event to "send a message" to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The view from inside the bus of Conor McGregor throwing a dolly and injuring Michael Chiesa. pic.twitter.com/vm1thw0rOV

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 7, 2018

Living up to his moniker, 'The Notorious' hurled a steel dolly through the window of a bus carrying 'The Eagle' and several other UFC fighters. The stunt landed McGregor a date in court and netted him an enormous fine.

The bitter rivals finally got a chance to settle their real-life feud at UFC 229. But it wasn't competitive as Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated from start to finish, retaining his crown via submission in round four.

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