off duty ninja
Member
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
UFC 229
October 6th, 2018
UFC 229
October 6th, 2018
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Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov booked: October 6th, 2018
- Thread starter off duty ninja
- Start date
off duty ninja
Member
Alright, I am a huge McGregor fan and can't wait to see him get back in the cage. Hopefully he won't be rusty but I don't think that is possible after 2 years out of the cage.
Who here is excited for what is going to be the biggest UFC fight of the year?
Who here is excited for what is going to be the biggest UFC fight of the year?
NickFire
Member
I am not a big UFC guy but do watch on occasion when my interest is picked. I am definitely excited for this one. I give Conor props for going out of his comfort zone and boxing the best despite the loss. But after the bus incident, he better win this fight. Anything short and he's a punk in my book, albeit a very rich one with tremendous marketing know-how.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
off duty ninja
Member
I was really disappointed in him for how he behaved with the bus incident, not that that means much but I hope he was humbled by it all.
This fight feels like some kind of real life Rocky IV to me in some weird way and I can't wait to see it. I hope they both stay healthy and the fight goes off without a hitch too. Of course I want Conor to win but Khabib is a bad ass too. I will be happy as long as we get a great fight.
DKehoe
Member
He didn't really face any consequences as a result of the bus incident. In fact it's probably going to lead to him making more money from this fight. So I doubt it will have humbled him.
off duty ninja
Member
I think it remains to be seen but agree it is unlikely. There is nothing that the law or UFC could do to bumble him at this point. I am hoping that he caught enough genuine grief from friends and family that he will have a change of heart in some ways.
That said I don't expect his persona to change much in general. Mental warfare is just part of his game.
zombie_gamer87
Member
Conor will most definitely beat Khabib, I would like to see khabib fight Diaz.
Snoopycat
Banned
Khabib's a monster but I didn't like his last fight. He claimed he wanted to go the distance to see what fighting for 5 rounds was like but nah, I'm not buying that. The truth is he couldn't finish Laquinta and that guy isn't anywhere near Connor's level. He's got to know if he tries to get into a striking match with McGregor he's going to get knocked out, so I can see him going for the takedown as quickly as possible.
highrider
Banned
People acting like Khabib is some monster that will just wreck Connor, I’m just not seeing that level in him. Khabib doesn’t have knockout power, Connor has faced excellent wrestlers many times. Khabib could win if he can close the gap and keep it on the ground. But people get excited when Connor faces a good submission guy, even though he’s dispatched all of them so far.
off duty ninja
Member
So I see a couple of votes for Khabib via Pull Out King. I do think that is very likely too but I am hoping Khabib stays healthy.
off duty ninja
Member
I love how mad Diaz got about the fight being announced. He still thinks that HE was the draw. lol
I love the Diaz brothers but they aren't nearly the draws they think they are.
manfestival
Member
While I like Khabib, his true test would have been against Tony... but fighting Tony has clearly proven to be an impossible task with 4 attempts and 0 reality. My heart says Conor but the mind says Khabib. Conor got bodied by an out of shape 2 week unprepared Mendes. Conor also showed that he sucks on the ground against Diaz. I will vote for Conor against my logic and rationale
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Khabib just needs one takedown, and Conor will be toast. Chin down and hulk-smash is the way to go; Conor's striking is excellent but he needs space to work in, and his cardio has always been suspect.
Judging by Khabib's performance against Iaquinta is a bad idea; That was him just being happy and relieved to finally get his title; getting past a guy who he clearly respected only on his willingness to fight, not for his skillset.
Judging by Khabib's performance against Iaquinta is a bad idea; That was him just being happy and relieved to finally get his title; getting past a guy who he clearly respected only on his willingness to fight, not for his skillset.
I hope its a great fight and not ended in the 1st round
off duty ninja
Member
I agree but I also think Conor has been prepping for this specific fight since the Mayweather fight. He has known that it would eventually come to this and if he is as smart as I think he is he has been getting wrestlefucked in training constantly to prepare for this.
TheGreatYosh
Banned
Khallabeeb is getting slept.
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
No doubt Conor will be well prepared, he's a smart guy and no doubt will be training with a mind to nullify Khabib's strengths. The problem is that there is no reason to suspect that he can pose any threat to Khabib off his back, so if it turns into a wrestling match, no matter how much mat time he's got in working escapes/sweeps he's on the back foot. And every time he's got drawn into a battle of attrition, he's looked vulnerable due to his cardio.
Khabib smashed Barboza, who's every bit as terrifying a striker as Conor and far more durable. The real threat in that division is Kevin Lee, who should by all rights next in line in Tony Ferguson's absence.
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switchback27
Member
Shoot, it's already been God knows how long since Conor's been in the Octagon. Nevertheless, he seems like a guy that talks a big game but does hard work when he's out of the spotlight to maintain his edge.
I think the public's grown a bit tired of Conor's schtick and that bleeds into the predictions--I think Conor will get the job done, provided that the fight occurs (which is never a given in the UFC).
I think the public's grown a bit tired of Conor's schtick and that bleeds into the predictions--I think Conor will get the job done, provided that the fight occurs (which is never a given in the UFC).
octiny
Banned
Connor by knockout within 2 rounds. 155 is his game.
Edit: Khabib got rocked in striking during the 5th round. He couldn't finish him for the life of him. That shit won't fly against Connor. Hilarious how he lifts his chin up. Prediction change. Connor will knock him out 1st round.
Edit: Khabib got rocked in striking during the 5th round. He couldn't finish him for the life of him. That shit won't fly against Connor. Hilarious how he lifts his chin up. Prediction change. Connor will knock him out 1st round.
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Night.Ninja
Banned
I can’t see Conor losing, i rate khabib but Conor is a different fighter to these 155 guys
off duty ninja
Member
We haven't even seen Conor in the cage for like 2 years and I hope he has been working on his ground game the whole time. He has basically known that Khabib would be his next fight this entire time and has had ample time to prepare.
This is what I love about MMA though. It really doesn't matter what we think, anybody can win a fight any given day. Hopefully they both stay healthy and this goes down as one of the greats!
Unknown Quantity
Member
Send me location!
Really looking forward to this. If khabib sticks to his grapple game he will systematically destroy Conor. If he tries to keep distance and go for KO then Conor has a chance.
Khabib in 2.
Really looking forward to this. If khabib sticks to his grapple game he will systematically destroy Conor. If he tries to keep distance and go for KO then Conor has a chance.
Khabib in 2.
Chairman Tickles
Banned
I don't like McDouche, he's very unprofessional for a guy in his position. 50/50 split imo, no idea who will win.
off duty ninja
Member
Chael Sonnen just released his initial take on this fight and it's a pretty good one IMO.
DKehoe
Member
Chael is such a good promoter when he dials his schtick back.
It's a fun fight, one I'm really looking forward to. Both guys strengths and weaknesses contrast well with each others
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mercenar1e
Member
Whatever training Conor’s been going through to fend off Khabibs grappling and wrestling advantage will not be enough. He’s going to get rag dolled and people will cry about it not being fair or entertaining.
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Chael was very, very kind to Conor in that assessment. Comparing him to Jon Jones is pretty iffy given that Bones is/was basically unbeaten. Conor lost to Nate first time, and barely edged out a decision on the second meeting.
Regarding Floyd, how much damage did he take over those rounds? Was he ever in danger? How much respect did he show Conor by adopting the mexican style of constant forward movement and pressure? Something he's never been known for, and I doubt would do against a high-ranking power striker ever.
The thing about Jones, love him or hate him, is that noone knows how to beat him yet. Conor has obvious weaknesses insofar as his ground game is not dominant and his cardio is suspect. He shines when guys stand in his face and try and land power-strikes; its why he mirked Alvarez but had a much tougher time against Diaz's relaxed, attrition striking style.
Lastly, regarding Chad Mendes, the one wrestling powerhouse he's faced, here was a guy with basically two weeks preparation, not a full training camp behind him. Fight stats show Chad landing 4/7 takedown attempts... do you honestly think Conor is going to survive 4 of Khabib's takedowns given his mauling top-game?
Regarding Floyd, how much damage did he take over those rounds? Was he ever in danger? How much respect did he show Conor by adopting the mexican style of constant forward movement and pressure? Something he's never been known for, and I doubt would do against a high-ranking power striker ever.
The thing about Jones, love him or hate him, is that noone knows how to beat him yet. Conor has obvious weaknesses insofar as his ground game is not dominant and his cardio is suspect. He shines when guys stand in his face and try and land power-strikes; its why he mirked Alvarez but had a much tougher time against Diaz's relaxed, attrition striking style.
Lastly, regarding Chad Mendes, the one wrestling powerhouse he's faced, here was a guy with basically two weeks preparation, not a full training camp behind him. Fight stats show Chad landing 4/7 takedown attempts... do you honestly think Conor is going to survive 4 of Khabib's takedowns given his mauling top-game?
off duty ninja
Member
If this is how it goes down then anybody complaining about it would be stupid. That's the fighting game and anything can happen. It is quite possible that Conor will get manhandled and Khabib will make him look silly. It's also quite possible that Conor will stuff Khabib's attempts to take him down and catch him with a left while he's coming in and drop him flat. I just can't wait to see it either way!
I appreciate your break down of Chael's points and your counter arguments are all valid. IMO Jon Jones is the best fighter to have fought in MMA and Conor doesn't compare physically. To me the comparison to Jones is that they both seem to rise to the occasion. It's the intangibles that make him so great.
Although Conor got whooped by Diaz and Mayweather he did pretty damn well especially against Mayweather where he should have been absoltuely dominated. Conor can use the same excuse as Mendes for the first Nate fight and he did come back and win a very close 5 rounder next.
Same with Mini-Mendes really, Conor wasn't training to fight a wrestler and had to adjust on the fly. Conor has done this repeatedly in the UFC.
Hopefully Khabib stays healthy and this goes down because I am sure Conor would have to basically be dead to pull out of this fight.
Luffytubby
Member
I hope we get to see some world class grappling. Can Khabib take him down? And if so- Can he survive the barrage of submission attempts?
If Khabib can beat him, it would be a major upset. Its been a long time coming for Khabib to get to this point! I'm rooting for him, but I hope Connor has a great fight.
If Khabib can beat him, it would be a major upset. Its been a long time coming for Khabib to get to this point! I'm rooting for him, but I hope Connor has a great fight.
off duty ninja
Member
Khabib appears to be the current favorite with odds-makers which makes sense as Conor hasn't fought in the cage in years and Khabib is the current champ.
I like Khabib's style and he contrasts Conor in both personality and style. It all makes for such a great match up.
NickFire
Member
If I gambled on fights I would definitely bet on Khabib for the reason that Connor has not been focused on actual MMA fighting for a while. If he wasn't fighting the champ I would probably not give that as much weight.
off duty ninja
Member
Totally, but you'd be crazy to think Conor is just chilling, swimming in his dough. I guarantee he has been rolling a lot these last two years constantly working to improve his ground game. I am much more concerned about general ring-rust because he hasn't had a "real" fight in a while.
NickFire
Member
No intent to suggest he hasn't been training. I fully believe he has been too. But I do think there's a big difference between training for pending MMA fights and not.
DKehoe
Member
Yeh, people weren't questioning if Jones just "got lucky" on his run to the title like Chael claims. He was dominating guys who he was clearly a level above and he was considered an exceptional talent.
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mercenar1e
Member
All of Conors loses have been on the ground.
If you had to compare his skill level on the ground + grappling in comparison to Khabibs it would be worlds apart. It doesn't matter if Conors been training for the last 2 years.. Khabibs been doing it since he was a child.
off duty ninja
Member
We shall see my friend! He's been on the ground more than those 3 times yet those are his only 3 losses. I loved how he talked shit to Mendes the whole time he was on the ground and then gets up and knocks him out with seconds to spare in the round.
We're really comparing apples and oranges though because just like Khabib's advantage on the ground, Conor holds a significant advantage standing up. That is part of what makes this fight so exciting. Whoever is best able to overcome their deficiencies should come out the victor.
Carton
Member
I expect Conor will find that sweet spot at least once in the fight and put Khabib down. Either that, or he will get put away after gassing in the championship rounds. The main x factor for me is what Conor has been doing with his time over the last year or so. I don't worry so much about ring rust, but rather has he been training MMA/grappling enough following the Mayweather match to have a cohesive mma game for someone like Khabib, because he obviously can't expect to go out and have a predominantly striking match as if he were fighting the likes of someone like Aldo. Looking forward to it.
highrider
Banned
Connor will probably impose a similar strategy as with Nate or any other high level grappler/wrestler. In the second fight he used leg kicks and his Emerald Isle lucky charm lefts to stifle when they want to shoot. But Khabib is menacing when he’s healthy and doesn’t overtrain or miss weight. I’d never count either fighter out, both have equal skill in different areas of fighting.
off duty ninja
Member
There was a press conference yesterday and it was just Khabib and Conor with Dana basically refereeing the whole thing. It’s kinda weird because there are no fans but they go at each other pretty hard in their own ways. This fight is gonna be good!
switchback27
Member
Hope that the fight lives up to the hype; they rarely do, though, sadly.
off duty ninja
Member
I hadn’t finished that press conference before posting but I just got to watch it and it was intense! If someone acted like Conor in everyday life I would be disgusted and that is exactly why he does it.
He was drinking his new fucking whiskey the whole time and even tried to give Khabib to have some. Of course Khabib is Muslim and doesn’t drink but Conor knows this. Conor also thanks god and Jesus multiple times even though I know he’s not religious. It was pretty fucking hilarious.
Conor was asked if Proper 12 was sponsoring the event and he had a great response and after Dana said it is Conor had a great response:
It was pretty weird without fans and it only being these two but their back and forths were great when I could understand them.
He was drinking his new fucking whiskey the whole time and even tried to give Khabib to have some. Of course Khabib is Muslim and doesn’t drink but Conor knows this. Conor also thanks god and Jesus multiple times even though I know he’s not religious. It was pretty fucking hilarious.
Conor was asked if Proper 12 was sponsoring the event and he had a great response and after Dana said it is Conor had a great response:
It was pretty weird without fans and it only being these two but their back and forths were great when I could understand them.
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