Unbeaten Lightweight Contender Khabib Nurmagamedov Thinks Conor McGregor Should Stay at Burger King Instead of Fighting…
Khabib Nurmagamedov is one of the scariest MMA fighters in the world. The Dagestani sambo maestro gets you up against the cage and proceeds to unload a barrage of ground and pound that nobody has been able to withstand. It’s demoralizing and frightening. That’s been the formula for his incredible 25-0 unbeaten record.
He’s also developed some excellent trash talking skills. The Russian has been one of a few fighters to engage in a back and forth with UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor. Of course, if Nurmagamedov beats Tony Ferguson at UFC 224 in April, or vice-versa, the Irishman will be stripped of his title.
McGregor and ‘The Eagle’ have been building up a rivalry for quite some time now, with all signs pointing to the likelihood of them facing each other in the near future. ‘The Notorious’ will get the chance to win his title back straight away when he returns later this year. Nurmagamedov has been happy to stoke the flames of a potential rivalry with the most lucrative fighter in combat sports today.
Chicken Man
One of Khabib’s favorite insults for McGregor is to call him the ‘Chicken Man’, so the news that McGregor has signed a sponsorship deal with Burger King to promote their spicy chicken sandwich will be like a birthday present for him. He told MMA Junkie:
“A lot of people call him like a king, but he’s not like a king. Now he’s Burger King. He has money, he has good life, he’s a famous guy. I think it’s better for him if he stays away from good fighters in the lightweight division. For me, too, because when you go to the cage with me it’s not like you’re going to cage with Burger King. This is different. That’s why he has to stay away.”
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Stay Away
The way the Russian sees it, McGregor has lost his focus on fighting and that will be his downfall if he does return to the octagon. He respects McGregor’s financial achievements but doesn’t believe that he’ll be a success if he returns to the octagon.
“He has money, he’s already the UFC champ, he’s a two-division champ, everything is good,” Khabib said. “Stay away. This is not a Burger King’s sport. This is for real fighters … I think he wants easy fights like when he fights Mayweather. He don’t need to come back preparing for five rounds, versus tough wrestling guy who is going to take you down and smash your face.”
Fair Warning
Many analysts see Khabib as McGregor’s kryptonite. The Russian has a dominant and oppressive top game that has seen off very good strikers like Edson Barboza and Michael Johnson. Does McGregor really offer anything different to these men?
Also, there’s the question of motivation. Nurmagamedov is right, McGregor has made his millions. Nobody will be more motivated to win than the fighter who stands across from the ‘Notorious’ in the ring or octagon because their name will go up in lights if they win.
