T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada will on October 6, 2018 play host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship event (UFC 229) whose headline fight is the bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov, the UFC lightweight champion, and the fire-spitting Conor McGregor.
While a few bouts of this nature do end in a draw, Khabib Nurmagomedov favourite to beat Conor McGregor in duel between near-identical stars. McGregor is an underdog for the first time in his career, according to the betting intelligence site us-bookies.com.
This prediction may sound unfounded especially on the backdrop of the good credentials of both contestants. However, fans need to look at the specifics to really understand why the bout can only go one way.
Trailblazing Winner
Conor McGregor comes to the fight with an impressive record that includes two championship belts in both featherweight and lightweight categories held consecutively. However, the Irish professional boxer and a mixed martial artist is a lot more.
He is one extraordinary athlete who aside from excelling in the weight categories mentioned above, has also shown prowess in boxing, where he has competed successfully in another couple of weight categories.
Despite what seems like an illustrious career with impressive stats, Conor will have trouble dethroning Khabib. For starters, he is coming from a 24-month hiatus that was occasioned by the birth of his baby. Secondly, he is going head-to-head with someone that hasn’t lost a competitive bout in the sport, ever!
Perfect Record
Khabib comes into the cage to defend the 155-pound category supremacy with a stellar record of 26 wins in a similar number of bouts. The two-time world champion in Combat Sambo has the longest unbeaten streak in mixed martial arts.
The champion who resides in Makhachkala, Dagestan has won almost winnable in his weight category on the way to the apex. He is the first ever UFC champion born in Russia who also grabbed the record of the most number of takedowns in a UFC fight.
Khabib is also a double gold medallist in the World Combat Sambo Championship. He won the gold medal in 2009 and 2010.
The Eagle, as fans adorably call him, is also the reigning Russia national champion in Army Hand-to-hand Combat (ARB). In 2012, he won two titles in the North American Grappling Association championships, taking home the Men’s No-Gi Expert title in the welterweight category and ADCC Rules No-Gi Expert title in the same category.
McGregor’s Contention
Despite these imposing stats, McGregor still predicts an easy fight encouraging his fans to anticipate a quick KO. However, this is characteristic of the tough-talking Irish, who’s been promising such outcomes even from the most formidable of opponents.
His assumptions aren’t all conjectural. He isn’t only about packing punches but has won some great bouts and has impressive records to show for these. On his way to being the only man to lay claim on two UFC belts at the same time, he beat Eddie Alvarez in a spectacular fashion.
He, however, he has been away for two years and that is not a short period for a game as engaging as martial arts. Also, he is coming face to face with an athlete that knows no fear.