If the celebs align accordingly, Islam Makhachev has no downside preventing Conor McGregor. In reality, the UFC light-weight champion believes he’d be a idiot to not.
To ensure that that to occur, although, every man has first orders of enterprise to handle, beginning with Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC), who defends his 155-pound title in opposition to Dustin Poirier within the UFC 302 important occasion June 1. 4 weeks later, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) makes his extremely anticipated return to the octagon in opposition to former Bellator champion Michael Chandler within the UFC 303 headliner June 29.
Despite the fact that, as of this second, McGregor hasn’t received a combat in additional than 4 years, hasn’t received a light-weight bout since his title victory nearly eight years in the past and is nowhere to be discovered within the official UFC rankings, Makhachev is keen to abide by the previous adage that if it makes {dollars} it is smart.
Combating the UFC’s greatest star for a probable gigantic payday? That’s a no brainer for the champ.
“Folks should be silly to say no,” Makhachev stated on Shadow Lion’s “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo. “In fact I’ll combat with him.”
Makhachev indicated that his subsequent combat after UFC 303 would possible happen in October (in Abu Dhabi) or November, however for a McGregor showdown, he’d be keen to be out there in August or September.
Whereas not really easy to promote primarily based on advantage, a combat between Makhachev and McGregor can be simple to promote from a storyline standpoint given McGregor’s historical past with Makhachev coach and UFC Corridor of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. Years of unhealthy blood culminated with Nurmagomedov submitting McGregor in October 2019 at UFC 229 – the highest-selling pay-per-view within the promotion’s historical past – after which leaping the cage to assault McGregor’s nook after his victory.
From Makhachev’s standpoint, he additionally believes he’d don’t have any bother with McGregor within the cage.
“Brother, simple. This man not identical,” Makhachev stated. “I don’t need to, like, make him look unhealthy, however everyone know this man not identical. Earlier than, yeah, for positive. When he was preventing with Khabib, he was in a fine condition. He (was) a high-level fighter. However proper now, an excessive amount of alcohol, an excessive amount of whiskey.”
For Makhachev, that’s simple cash.
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