Owen Roddy Claims Conor McGregor is Ready to Fight Khabib Nurmagamedov in Russia…
There’s a new twist in the Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagamedov saga. It’s hasn’t even been booked yet, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming the hottest rivalry of 2018. Both men are in their fighting prime and have fanatical fanbases. This could be the biggest UFC fight of all time.
On paper, they’re very different styles, inside and outside the octagon. McGregor is a much more flamboyant personality and a counter-striker. He’s famed for his trash talk and slick suits, as much as his actual fighting. Meanwhile, Nurmagamedov has a much calmer persona and is an exceptionally brutal grappler.
One of the main questions being asked about this potential fight, is where will it take place? McGregor’s striking coach Owen Roddy has revealed that the Irishman is very serious about his willingness to take Khabib on in his native Russia.
Crazy Conor
Roddy spoke to the BBC MMA Show about his friend and student. They’ve worked together at SBG Dublin since the beginning of the ‘Notorious’s’ career. Roddy, a very good professional MMA fighter in his own right, revealed McGregor’s unique mentality. “He turned around to me like:
“There’s talk of me fighting Khabib. I might do it in Russia. You know what we’ll do? We’ll do it like Rocky, we’ll go to Siberia. We’ll train in the snow and I’ll get one of those yokes that you put on your shoulders to get the lats.”
This will be music to the UFC’s ears. They’ve been trying to sort a card in Russia for years now. As far as the company’s executives will be concerned, this justifies McGregor’s lack of punishment after the UFC 223 bus attack. You can expect to see clips of the assault in promos if this fight does get booked. Cynical.
Mad Man
There’s no denying Conor McGregor is a little bit mental. It seems like he’s gone a bit more that way since earning $100 million against Floyd Mayweather. That’s a problem I wouldn’t mind having to figure out. Roddy explained McGregor’s logic:
“Conor does mad things, and that’s what we love him for. There are not many people would do that but Conor’s like, ‘I’ll go to Russia and fight you in your back garden just to prove who I am’.”
There is a fine line between loving a fighter and tuning in because you hope they get beat, *cough* Colby Covington *cough*. McGregor has crossed that line a long time for a lot of people, but he still possesses a loyal and fanatical fanbase. Can you imagine all those Irish fans going wild in Russia?
Loyal Friend
Another point that Roddy made was that McGregor has been under serious pressure in the last couple of years. His rise has been so momentous and dramatic, it’s easy to forget that he’s just another human being.
“There is something in him that meant he refused to be beaten,” Roddy said. “He seems to be the kind of guy who doesn’t take no for an answer and keeps on pushing and you have to respect someone for that. He has done really well for himself and his family and that is all you want to do in life.”
As long as he doesn’t start attacking buses in Moscow. It might be harder for Dillon Danis to bail him out of a Siberian gulag.
