OFF-PUTIN
Putin tested Conor McGregor’s whiskey for POISON before drinking UFC star’s gift
VLADIMIR PUTIN refused to drink a bottle of whiskey sent to him by Conor McGregor until it was tested for poison.
The Notorious revealed he gifted Putin a bottle of his Proper Number Twelve, but the Russian president would not touch a drop before it had been checked out.
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Upon meeting Putin at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the MMA star gifted him a bottle of his ‘liquid sunshine’.
But the president’s security squad intercepted and swiftly removed the bottle before he could open it.
Last week, The Irishman attended a press conference in Moscow to promote his whiskey brand and explained what went down.
He said: "Many people don't know, the very first bottle of Proper Twelve Irish whiskey, I gifted to Vladimir Putin.
"President Putin's security detail is second to none as I'm sure you know, you don't mess around with Vladimir.
"So, I gifted the bottle and I gifted it to his security.
“They had to take the liquid from the bottle to make sure the liquid was safe and it was not maybe poisoned or what not and then it was gifted to Vladimir Putin."
As a result, the Irishman did not get to share a tipple with the Russian leader.
Despite the poison protocol, McGregor is confident Putin appreciated the gift and tasted it in his own time.
He added: "I haven't got to speak to him since to see what he thought of it, although I'm sure he did have a taste and I'm sure he enjoyed it."
However McGregor may be shooting wide of the mark as Putin follows a strict routine of healthy eating, exercise and zero alcohol.
In the past Putin praised McGregor's arch-nemesis Khabib Nurmagomedov - congratulating him after his 2018 win against the Irishman.
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Following Khabib's victory the Russian kingpin invited Nurmagomedov to meet and congratulated him on his solid performance.
Though unlikely, McGregor and Putin could still meet again if the Irishman gets his wish of a rematch with Khabib.
After Khabib beat Dustin Poirier in September the Irishman tweeted: "Book my rematch for Moscow."
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