Article by Mattan Yuger
In a world starving for a sense of normalcy, Conor McGregor is still the most reliable source of pure entertainment. It's not clear how or what it is exactly, but he clearly has “it”. McGregor is a one-man show, a global icon that transcends MMA and a black hole of attention, sucking the air out of every room as everyone orbits around him. “It’s red panty night”, has forever become part of UFC lexicon, describing a show for the ages, and McGregor delivered on his famous quote every single time. We can't ignore that deja vu feeling from last year, when he announced his grand return and 2020 fighting season as we covered all the reasons why we love a McGregor fight. Of course, much has changed in the world since, Covid got in the way and plans were put on hold. It's hard to take much from his 40 seconds knockout vs Donald Cerrone, a year ago, but it looked like vintage McGregor. He was in his element, sharp, raw and with the same spark, swagger and “it”. The UFC is a brand that produces superstars on an annual basis and waits for no one. Times like this, when certainty is low but the risk is high, is exactly what the ‘Ultimate Fighting Championship’ is all about. And yet, a “motivated Mcgregor” is music for every fight fan’s ears as his “combat ready” social media presence turned into a meme for a man back on the mission. It's comforting to see him picking up where he left off and still has the taste for the game.
The King is back. Conor Mcgregor is not a man that thrives on idle hands and as controversies pile on, he can't seem to get out of his own way without a sense of purpose. The man who embodies the classic rise and fall story has turned comeback into art. But even with all his wits, charm and rockstar’s charisma, everything seems to fall apart without his dedication, hard work and god given talent to back it up.
McGregor is one of those rare examples, almost too good to be true, for a man that can walk the walk and talk the talk. Problem is, people are tired of the antics and fans are eager to see him do what he does best, elite cage fighting. By now, many have forgotten that beyond all the shenanigans and distractions, Conor is still one of the most gifted fighters inside the octagon. McGregor circled back to his early years when people were writing him off as a gimmick before he proved them wrong. Can he do it again?
UFC 257 - Place your bets
There’s no tune up fights in the UFC but still, some in the MMA community were quick to dismiss his flashy knockout last year as an easy fight against an over the hill opponent. You really can't say the same thing on his next challenge and a familiar rival, Dustin Poirier. If he runs through him and reminds the world of his notorious apex striking skills, there will be no excuses left for all the naysayers.
This, of course, is a big “If” and why an impressive win at UFC257 would earn him so much credit, gaining his legitimacy back. Mcgregor is obviously encouraged by his seamless 1st round knockout, in their previous fight, but that was way back in 2014 and light years in terms of MMA. Since then, Poirer has reinvented his career, jumped a weight class, asserted himself as top of the heap and clinched the number one contender position in one of the most talent stacked divisions. Still, styles make fights as they say, and at least on paper, this looks like a good match up for Conor. Without a credible threat of taking the fight to the ground and exchanging strike for strike, you almost have to give the edge to Mcgregor as so many of the experts and bookmakers do. Road to the top of the mountain.
Aside from Mcgregor's return, it's the context of the fight that is key to understanding how much is at stake here. Because at the top of the division, in a Mortal Combat like scenario, looms the final Boss and the man from the mountains himself, Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov. It's impossible to overstate the magnitude of a Khabib / Mcgregor rematch, as the backstory and animosity between the two alone could fill a Netflix mini series.
Their first encounter back in 2018 was the biggest PPV in UFC history and an international blockbuster. Back then, Khabib was still the champion but relatively unknown outside MMA, while Mcgregor was already a household name. The two oppose each other in every way and that fight, with everything that led up to it, turned into a cultural clash which catapulted Khabib into hero status, of almost mythological proportions, for billions of Muslims around the world.
2 years later, Khabib has defended his title a couple more times and announced his retirement in an emotional moment, following his last fight and passing away of his long life coach and father. It's no secret that Khabib is genuinely disinterested in reliving the McGregor experience and granting him another shot at glory but all of this can change come January 23rd. A convincing win for McGregor will make it difficult for Khabib to retire his belt into the hands of his arch nemesis and might turn Dana White and UFC’s wet dream into a reality.