'April or July': Conor McGregor challenged by 'Cowboy' Cerrone to sign fight agreement

Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone looks close to securing his very own 'red panty night' with Irish MMA superstar Conor McGregor, after revealing that the UFC is looking at April or July dates to host the rumored lightweight fight.

Cerrone says that the UFC is considering dates on April 13 and July 6 for the fight, which would be McGregor's first Octagon assignment since his October defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

READ MORE: ‘I’d do it again 100 times’ Khabib has zero regrets over infamous UFC 229 cage jump

'Cowboy' revealed the information on an Instagram post, saying that he is "just waiting to," along with emojis for a pen and a contract. 

UFC 236 is listed on the UFC schedule on the April 13 date mentioned by Cerrone, though it does not yet have a venue attached to it. The event is also expected to feature the interim middleweight title match-up between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya. 

The UFC has not yet revealed any details pertaining to an event on July 6, but information as to their summer events is expected to be released soon. 

Speculation has linked McGregor and Cerrone in such a bout since the Irishman praised 'Cowboy' on social media for his victory against Alexander Hernandez in January, saying to him that "for a fight like that" he will be happy to take him on – a nod to Cerrone's impressive performance on the night.

UFC President Dana White was quick to keep a lid on the speculation, however, saying last weekend at the UFC's event in Phoenix, Arizona that the deal was "not even close" to being done.

White has previously said that Cerrone is the "frontrunner" to be McGregor's next opponent when he becomes eligible to compete on April 6 when his suspension for the UFC 229 post-fight fracas with Nurmagomedov and his team in Las Vegas expires.

READ MORE: Conor McGregor gets 6-month suspension, fined $50k for his role in UFC 229 chaos

A fight opposite McGregor would almost certainly be the most financially lucrative of Donald Cerrone's fight career thus far, which would be suitable recognition for the always entertaining veteran who holds the most wins (21) of any fighter in UFC history.

McGregor, the former lightweight and featherweight champion, could be in line for a new UFC title if he proves successful in this potential bout, as some sources have claimed that this fight may potentially be contested for an interim 155lb title during the extended suspension of Khabib Nurmagomedov – which, interestingly, could set up a blockbuster rematch between the two heated rivals later this year.