What Happened to Artem Lobov? Injury Cancels PFL Bout Tied to Conor-Khabib Rivalry

Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Artem Lobo is OFF this Friday’s PFL card, via Lobov injury per Russian media sources.”  However, this is not the first time Lobov and Tukhugov have been scheduled to clash.

Back in 2018, under the UFC banner at UFC Fight Night 138, they nearly fought, but Tukhugov pulled out. As for Lobov’s recent injury, the $1 billion PFL has yet to confirm the news. If true, this setback adds to the challenges in Lobov’s turbulent career, which began at UFC 223 when Conor McGregor led the infamous bus incident that caused the cancellation of his fight against Alex Caceres.

The confrontation started when Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team cornered Lobov and slapped him over earlier comments about ‘The Eagle’. For Lobov, it was a reaction to the Russian star targeting his friend. Since that day, tension between Conor McGregor and Khabib’s camp has never fully dissipated.

Artem Lobov holds Khabib Nurmagomedov responsible for igniting Slapgate feud

When Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov first crossed paths, their relationship was surprisingly cordial. Back when McGregor fought in the 145-pound division, he even called Khabib the “future champion.” But as the Irishman climbed the ranks to claim the lightweight crown, the two fighters’ paths converged—and tensions escalated. Once McGregor moved up to 155 pounds, what had been mutual respect turned into rivalry, setting the stage for one of MMA’s most infamous feuds.

The spark came during a candid interview when Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly warned McGregor to “smash” him. In response, Artem Lobov launched a verbal attack, calling the Dagestani star a “chicken” over his habit of pulling out of fights. The tension exploded at UFC 223, when Khabib and his team cornered and slapped Lobov in a hotel lobby. That confrontation triggered a chain reaction—Lobov called Conor McGregor, who stormed New York’s Barclays Center during media day, determined to make the Russian star pay for slapping his close friend.

Last month, on Ariel Helwani’s show, Artem Lobov—now on strained terms with Conor McGregor despite defending his actions—shifted the spotlight, accusing Khabib Nurmagomedov of escalating the Slapgate feud. Recalling the original confrontation, Lobov said that he and ‘The Eagle’ had initially “sorted everything” when the Russian fighter approached him and asked why he had said “sh-t” about him.

The Russian-Irish fighter explained, “I said, ‘If somebody called your friend the names that you’ve been calling Conor, you for sure would respond… You leave me no choice by talking like this.’” Looking back on the saga, Lobov made it clear, “Conor never went at Khabib,” and insisted that Khabib Nurmagomedov was the one who first “initiated” the feud.

Once bound by friendship, Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov now stand worlds apart. The infamous bus incident sparked their rivalry, and soured business dealings have deepened the divide. Today, they rarely interact, confining their encounters mostly to courtroom proceedings. With McGregor still active in the fighting world, fans eagerly watch to see if the two will ever reconcile