Stephen A. Smith: Conor McGregor 'has no enterprise being within the octagon' with Islam Makhachev

by Christina S. Brown
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Stephen A. Smith doesn’t need to see Conor McGregor combat UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev.

Coach Javier Mendez mentioned he’d like Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) to combat McGregor someday after McGregor introduced mild to the staph an infection he endured throughout his UFC 302 coaching camp. Makhachev wound up submitting Dustin Poirier this previous Saturday to retain his title in what turned out to be a grueling major occasion.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is anticipated to return June 29 in opposition to Michael Chandler within the UFC 303 major occasion, with many believing a title shot might be his if he’s victorious.

“Conor goes and begins on a rant, beginning to create drama with Islam,” Mendez instructed Purple Nook MMA. “Which is sort of good as a result of Conor’s the sort of man you need to root in opposition to or root for. Regardless, all people desires to see him, Me, I need to see him get beat by Islam.

“So, for me, him doing what he’s doing is inflicting quite a lot of consideration, so there wouldn’t be nothing higher for me and Khabib (Nurmagomedov) than to have Islam have a combat with him someplace down the road. He introduced that staph up, which could be very observant on his half, to be sincere with you. The one factor is that he noticed it means too late. On the time he talked about it, it was already three weeks previous.”

Nonetheless, after seeing Khabib Nurmagomedov dominate and submit McGregor of their title combat in 2018, Smith believes McGregor ought to need no a part of Makhachev.

“I used to be in Vegas for the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov combat,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take” (h/t Championship Rounds). “It was one of many best occasions I’ve ever attended in my life. It was unreal.

“However what we realized in that combat is that Conor McGregor has no enterprise being within the octagon in opposition to a grappler, which is what Makhachev (is). This brother proper right here is one thing particular, and he’s not going to attempt to strike in opposition to Conor McGregor.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 302.

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