So, Javier Mendez from the American Kickboxing Academy dropped some thoughts. He reckons Conor McGregor hasn’t quite been the same vibe since his dust-up with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Interesting, right?
Now, Islam Makhachev is eyeing a bout with McGregor. Plot twist, he wasn’t keen before. But hey, who can blame him? Mendez spilled the beans. It’s all about the cash and the fame. A fight with McGregor? That’s a golden ticket.
“Massive fight, massive amount of money,” Mendez dished out to Submission Radio. He’s not wrong. McGregor’s name on the bill? That’s a surefire way to skyrocket anyone’s stock. Like him or loathe him, the man’s got pull.
Makhachev’s game, but he’s not holding his breath for McGregor, who he thinks is past his prime. Mendez echoes that sentiment. Post-Khabib, McGregor’s spark just isn’t the same, he believes.
“He’s [McGregor] the lottery ticket,” Mendez explained. Everyone wants a piece of that action. Why? Simple. McGregor changes lives. Fame, fortune, the whole shebang. But, there’s a but. McGregor’s not the force of nature he once was, tearing through champs like Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, and Eddie Alvarez. Khabib was a game-changer.
Remember UFC 229? McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov? That was one for the books. The hype was real. McGregor tapped out in the fourth, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Sure, he KO’d Donald Cerrone after, but then Dustin Poirier handed him back-to-back defeats. And that leg injury? Ouch.
But guess what? McGregor’s making a comeback. After three years, he’s stepping back into the octagon against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. Can’t wait to see how that goes down.