Two-former division champion Conor McGregor who is facing legal troubles due to his rampage at UFC 223 and is due in court on June 14 for charges of assault and criminal mischief, but talks are ongoing about his UFC return.
Despite his recent antics, MMA world is eagerly waiting for a potential showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov, which would undoubtedly prove to be the biggest fight in UFC history.
The UFC looking to book the first-ever event in Russia this September. Earlier this year, ESPN reached out to UFC for the official announcement, the promotion indicated that nothing is set in stone but confirmed its interest in the market.
Newly crowned lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov who is observing Ramadan and will be out of action for few months, also revealed the talks with Conor fight has begun.
The former lightweight champion who got defeated by Conor Mcgregor at UFC 205, also put his input on there fight and predicts Nurmagomedov’s wrestling may overwhelm Mcgregor.
“I feel like there will be takedowns, and Conor will not get up,” Alvarez told ESNewsReporting.com in a recent interview, per MMA Junkie’s Simon Samano and Steven Marrocco. “And I don’t know if he has the spirit to stay in the fight with a ground fight, where Khabib is controlling 15 to 20 minutes of a 25-minute bout. I’d have to give the edge to Khabib.”
“I don’t feel like he has a strong spirit for fighting on the ground,” Alvarez said. “Some guys have a real strong spirit, they could stand up all day for five, 10 rounds, as long as they’re standing up.
“But when it goes to the ground, their spirit weakens. I don’t think Conor has a strong enough spirit to withstand Khabib’s ground attack over and over and over.”
No doubt Alvarez also knows his ex-rival Mcgregor’s knockout power and said he might switch off ‘Eagle’s’ lights if he lands his left hook.
“If Khabib does not correct the mistake of sitting back with his chin back and going to the side, Conor’s going to put his lights out with that left hand pretty bad, pretty quickly,” he said. “He needs to correct that mistake, and he needs to learn to relax in the pocket and know that he’s safe. Until he does that, he’s always in danger of getting beat by a guy with knockout power like Conor McGregor.”
However, Alvarez believes he’s the ideal opponent for Nurmagomedov and can hand him the first defeat of his professional career, but ‘Eagle’ simply not interested in Eddie and said he can go take a hike.
