By Peter Dunn
It’s one of the biggest fights in the recent years of the UFC, and it all started with a feisty Irishman throwing a trolley through a bus window. Now, Conor McGregor has one of the toughest opponents in the game in his sights, the defending lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, but appears to have suffered an injury setback.
At the UFC 229 press conference, the challenger turned up with an injury to the middle finger on his left hand. Given that McGregor is notorious for swinging in crisp and destructive left hooks, this has some fans worried about his chances in the upcoming fight. While it is still an injury, the Irishman has batted away claims that it will impede his performance on October 6 in Las Vegas.
A result of “the real fight game”
Conor McGregor has shrugged off his finger injury as a minor one, claiming that it will not have any effect on his performance against Khabib Nurmagomedov, per Bloody Elbow.
He says that it came from him sparring Ion Pascu – a 90kg fighter – and his opponent’s tooth becoming embedded in his knuckle as a result of a clean shot. McGregor continued, claiming that it’s what happens in “the real fight game,” emphasizing how tough his sparring sessions have been in the run-up to this colossal bout.
The former two-weight UFC champion seems unphased by the rather grizzly injury and is as confident as ever about defeating the ominous 26-0-0 Nurmagomedov. However, it’s his striking which many see as McGregor’s best hope of coming out on top, so his team will need to make sure that the wound will not become a hindrance on fight night.
Both fighters have an agenda
To many, Conor McGregor has already achieved near-legendary status, if not legendary status, in the UFC. But he says that he fell out with the sport after his featherweight and lightweight titles were stripped from him in such quick succession. But now, he’s in a much better mindset and working hard towards reclaiming his place in the UFC as a champion.
Despite his legacy and determination, McGregor is coming into the fight as the underdog but is being given a slither of hope which many fans are getting behind. In the MMA betting, McGregor has been enhanced to +187.50 to win by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification, while the two-time sambo champion’s odds of winning by submission have been enhanced to +300. It seems that people see McGregor getting a stoppage win within the rounds as more likely than Nurmagomedov winning by submission – despite all three of McGregor’s losses coming via submission.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has impressed pundits and fans all over the world with his consistently dominant performances that have him sitting on an almighty 26-0-0 professional mixed martial arts record. He’s great on the defensive side when standing and on the ground, but it’s his takedowns which have proven to be too much to handle for many. His mission is not only to retain his title but to also win over the pro-McGregor bulk of the fan base. At the open workout, the Russian was given a hostile reception but claimed that the crowd will love him after the fight.
Both fighters are putting it all on the line at UFC 229, and while Conor McGregor’s injury doesn’t look set to hinder his showing, Khabib Nurmagomedov comes in as the favorite to retain his title and continue his incredible undefeated record.