McGregor's groundbreaking move for Khabib rematch
Conor McGregor sent UFC fans into an absolute frenzy just hours after the chaos that was UFC 229, re-igniting the flame in his rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Irishman took to Twitter to tease a second instalment of the match-up, and it appears the wheels are already in motion.
But there’s one incredible twist.
According to The Irish Sun, McGregor is planning his revenge bout to take place in front of home fans in Dublin.
The Notorious has tasked his team investigate the possibility of returning to 3Arena in Ireland – a venue that had its ‘decibel level record’ broken the last time he took to the octagon there.
The Dubliner was absolutely dominated by Nurmagomedov in their UFC 229 bout, with his intense pre-fight trash talk backfiring embarrassingly as he tapped out in the fourth round.
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But much like his former rivalry with American Nate Diaz – where McGregor lost the first bout and made amends in the second – he will be hoping to redeem himself in similar fashion.
McGregor hasn’t fought in Ireland since 2014, when he produced one of his trademark knock outs he has become known for.
While the report also claims Dublin City Council would welcome the fight with open arms, UFC organisers would need to investigate the pay-per-view timezone scenario so US fans wouldn’t miss out.
After all, that’s how the UFC makes most of their money.
There are still many unknowns as to how the fallout from the ugly scenes will play out, and whether Khabib will even be allowed to fight in the UFC again.
When Nurmagomedov promptly hurdled over the cage and fought with McGregor’s taunting cornermen, and his own teammates ambushed McGregor in the octagon, the undefeated Russian champion and his friends might have seriously damaged their careers.
“These guys are in big trouble,” UFC President Dana White said.
“It is going to be ugly.”
While White conceded there will be a number of obstacles to overcome before a rematch could occur, he didn’t rule it out altogether.
“We have to see what happens with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. There’s going to be fines, there’s going to be God knows what,” White said.
“Can these guys get visas to get back in the country? I mean Khabib. We’ll see how this thing plays out.”
Why crazy scenes are good for the UFC
At the end of the best/worst night in the UFC’s history, and make no mistake, it’ll prove to be far more best than worst, UFC president Dana White kept expressing his disappointment in how it all turned out.
Well, sort of.
“For the show to end the way that it did, how bad does it hurt us?” White asked before answering his own question. “I don’t know if it hurts us at all. Some people love that [expletive]. But to me, it hurts.”
Indeed, some people do love that, ah, stuff and it’s part of why so many people love the UFC.
Every time you put your money down for a show, you truly never know what you’re going to get.
In this case it was seeing Khabib Nurmagomedov defeat Conor McGregor via tap out in the fourth round and then promptly leap over the Octagon to attack one of McGregor’s corner men.
As all hell broke out in Vegas, two men from Nurmagomedov’s camp jumped into the cage and went after McGregor, who himself was trying to get into the brawl.
One squared off with McGregor from the front, throwing punches. Then from behind, another sucker-punched McGregor, hitting him with four blows.
So why was it good for the UFC?
It was wild and riveting and viral and, like it or not, everything that sells not just in America but around the world.
Was this humiliating, to a degree, for White? Of course. Over the last 18 years he’s poured himself into taking an outlaw sport that was banned in most states and all of pay-per-view and turning it into a legitimate enterprise, a real business. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get past the “human cockfighting” days.
And this, on the biggest pay-per-view the company ever put on, where incredible athletic ability, courage and even sportsmanship had been showcased. In the end though, well, that sure looked like human cockfighting.
“It’s just really disgusting and disappointing to me,” White said.
Look, this is a tightrope White has long walked and one he tried to defend late Saturday night. The UFC sells this stuff. The people buy it. Maybe not the idea of Nurmagomedov taking it outside the Octagon, an action that should lead to significant sanctions from the Nevada State Athletic Association.
But the overheated rhetoric. The name-calling. The news conference pushing and weigh-in near brawls. It’s all part of the show.
No one ever really gets punished. Nurmagomedov crossed the line and should pay, but that line is way, way outside the norm to begin with. That’s part of the politically incorrect appeal.
with Yahoo Sports US.