Conor McGregor to make his UFC return in October after almost two years away from Octagon

It was announced on Friday night that the controversial Irishman's grudge match with Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov will be the headline act of UFC 229 on October 6 in Las Vegas.

Nurmagomedov took McGregor's 155lb title in April, with the Irishman stripped of it due to inactivity.

He took a year out of the sport as he turned to professional boxing, losing to Floyd Mayweather Jnr last summer.

McGregor is unhappy at Nurmagomedov holding a title he believes is his and, having last fought in UFC in November 2016, 'Notorious' is ready to return.

Conor McGregor career stats

• 24 - The number of professional fights McGregor, 30, has had in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
• 21 - The number of victories he has achieved in those 24 UFC fights.
• 18 - The number of those victories that came via knockout, giving him a
• knockout percentage of 75 from his 24 fights.
• 13 - The number of fights the Irishman has won inside the first round.
• 13 - The time in seconds McGregor needed to knock out Jose Aldo and win the UFC featherweight title in December 2015.
• 1 - The number of fights he has won via submission.
• 1-0 - McGregor's amateur record.
• 57 - His striking defence; the percentage of total strikes avoided in the UFC.
• 473 - His total of successful strikes in the UFC, out of an attempted 993, giving him a success rate of 48 per cent.
• 175 - McGregor's height, in centimetres, or 5ft 9ins.
• 118 - His reach, in centimetres, or 74ins.
• 1 - The number of professional or amateur boxing matches he has had.
• 10 - The number of rounds he took Floyd Mayweather Jr to before defeat.
• 99 - million dollars, amount that Forbes estimates McGregor's worth to be (£76m).

The pair will fight for the lightweight title, with McGregor putting his 21-3 record up against Nurmagomedov's superior mark of 26-0.

Speaking at a press conference to mark the UFC's 25th anniversary, president Dana White fielded questions and then said: "We have one last thing we want to show you." A promotional video then played to promote the bout.

It drew rapturous applause from the the watching media and fans, with White adding: "They're not here unfortunately. But the fight is done, October, Las Vegas, it's on ladies and gentlemen."

Former two-weight world champion McGregor has wanted to face Nurmagomedov for some time.

After a confrontation between associates of the pair, McGregor gatecrashed a Nurmagomedov press conference in New York in April.

Conor McGregor was given five days of community service (Kevin Hagen/AP)

Footage appeared to show him rushing a bus on which Nurmagomedov was a passenger. Last month he was sentenced to five days of community service in the US after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.

As part of a deal with prosecutors the former world champion was also ordered to undertake an anger management class, a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney said.