It looks like everyone wants a piece of Conor McGregor these days. The UFC’s biggest star just got bigger, following a 10th round technical knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather last Saturday night, August 26th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
McGregor (0-1) took on Mayweather (50-0) in what was dubbed “The Money Fight”, a wildly popular bout built on social media that ended raking in an exorbitant amount of revenue, the final number of which has yet to be finalized. Regardless of the fact that not much was expected of him from a competitive standpoint, McGregor was highly competitive early before gassing out late.
Mayweather put the finishing touches on McGregor in the 10th, once he sensed the Irishman had nothing left.
Conor McGregor is now the biggest star in combat sports
Despite the loss, McGregor is now in a better position than he was before the fight. Already the UFC’s biggest star, McGregor has opened a lot of eyes to his own rise through the Mixed Martial Arts ranks. Boxing fans and fans in general who had never seen him fight in the UFC before, all of a sudden now are interested to see where he goes next.
Both UFC President Dana White and McGregor have confirmed that he will definitely be returning to the Octagon. Although it is unclear when that will be.
One thing McGregor doesn’t have a shortage of is willing opponents. After the Mayweather bout, there are a few names that stand out. Some have even called out the Irishman.
Of course, a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz is still on the table. Diaz choked McGregor out in 2016, but lost a decision in a rematch months later. With the score tied at one win apiece, the two are eager to settle matters in a third bout once and for all.
Rafael Dos Anjos, the UFC’s former lightweight champion, has also made it known that he and McGregor have unfinished business. And then there is the winner of Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee at UFC 216.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is ready to take on McGregor, calls the UFC lightweight champ out!
One man no one has forgotten about is Russian standout Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has been sitting atop the #1 spot in the UFC’s lightweight rankings for some time now. He was supposed to fight Tony Ferguson a while back, but had to decline the bout due to undisclosed injuries. Now that Ferguson is set to face Lee, it leaves a healthy Khabib without a dance partner.
Khabib recently took to Instagram to grab the opportunity in calling McGregor out for December 30 at UFC 219.
The Eagle’s post in Russian translates to: “30 December. UFC219. Las Vegas, Nevada. Let’s go @ufc @danawhite Why not. I think December is the perfect date for this fight, besides, he himself said that he wants a fight with me after Mayweather.”
A bout between Khabib and McGregor would be huge. Many fans still feel that McGregor is severely lacking in his ground game, and Khabib would certainly test that. Khabib is a well-rounded competitor, but is a tremendous wrestler and grappler, two skills which McGregor has not shown in the cage.
Shouldn’t Khalabib get his liver working first? Is he going to pull a Diaz and have to have the fight at 165 too? Easy work for Conor on the feet.. trouble if Nurmo got him to the ground. Since the rounds start on the feet, Khabib is probably TKO’d by round 2. Conor doesn’t get tired on the ground, or on his back, as evident in the Holloway and Mendes fights.. so that wouldn’t help Khabib much either.
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