McGregor wants Khabib rematch in Russia to proceed ‘actual life Rocky story’ after sensational UFC comeback

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After a shocking 40-second victory over Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246, Conor McGregor should now struggle tooth and nail for a Moscow rematch with light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to return to the highest of MMA.

READ MORE: UFC 246: Tyson Fury arrives in Las Vegas to assist Conor McGregor (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

McGregor spectacularly introduced himself again onto the MMA scene after greater than a year-long hiatus with a chilling first-round demolition over UFC legend Cerrone on the T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas on Saturday.

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© Reuters / Mark J. Rebilas
Conor McGregor crushes Donald Cerrone in simply 40 seconds at UFC 246

A kick to the jaw adopted up by spectacular shoulder work within the clinch and medical floor and pound all within the first minute catapulted McGregor smack bang into the center of the UFC panorama.

Now the one actual route again to relevance for the previous ‘Champ Champ’ should be to chase a mega-money rematch with ‘Dagestani Eagle’ Nurmagomedov in Moscow to proceed the ‘actual life Rocky story’ he promised to the Russian folks at his presser again in October.

RT Sport takes you thru the the reason why.

It’s the one struggle that can absolutely restore McGregor’s credibility

Downtown Moscow, a stage maybe cherry-picked to antagonize homeland hero Khabib, was the place the 31-year-old headed a profanity-laden press convention to announce his January 18 return to the octagon.

Cerrone and Justin Gaethje have been initially earmarked as potential and very keen and succesful opponents, however the Western drawl-talking, stetson-sporting cowboy from Colorado was finally chosen after which disposed by The Infamous.

The second leg of McGregor’s grasp plan was outlined throughout a characteristically venomous rant that appear to watermark McGregor’s public talking, outlining his need for a date with seemingly indestructible UFC light-weight champion Khabib to in Russia.

The explanation? “I need to present to the folks of Russia an actual life Rocky story,” McGregor nobly instructed an expectant crowd, absolutely assuming his hero of the folks position within the absence of Khabib, to whom he succumbed in 4 rounds for the light-weight title in late 2018.

The Russian is presently pencilled in to defend his title towards Tony Ferguson on April 19, the fifth time the perennially-delayed bout between the 2 has been slated to happen. 

Whatever the winner of that struggle – the Dublin fighter personally is selecting his former foe to higher the favored ‘El Cucuy’ – the UFC’s golden goose should shovel all his eggs into the Khabib basket and power a rematch if he’s to stay related within the struggle recreation, even when that dangers falling additional out of favor together with his throng of followers and followers with one other loss.

Laying down the gauntlet to Khabib in his house nation because the route again to relevance brings equal danger and reward however the Dubliner’s aspirations have by no means been wanting sky excessive and it’s precisely that which makes a second installment of the McGrgeor-Khabib saga such an entertaining and intriguing prospect.

McGregor can implement his proposed ‘Russian takeover’

McGregor might have an ulterior motive for wanting the struggle in Moscow – to usurp Khabib’s Russian followers. The whole lot of McGregor’s October presser featured Conor at his cut-throat finest.

Impeccably dressed and near the knuckle, these knuckles apparently itching to get into the Makhachkala man, whom he referred to as him a “jockstrap sniffer” and a “coward” working from a Moscow rematch, one thing ingrained within the Dagestani man.

Other than the crass and uncouth volley of insults there was one thing that grew to become extra obvious in McGregor’s tone: he promised to ship to the folks and, in Khabib’s absence, might persuade the general public that the Makhachkala man is a villain, after which invent a hero position for himself to step into.

Getty Pictures / Chris Unger

“The previous saying is: ‘From Russia with love’ and I really feel the love each time I set foot on this nice nation and particularly on this nice metropolis,” got here the standard schmoozing from the enigmatic Irishman.

A fighter’s “territory” is taken into account sacred, however the fast-talking, fast-punching McGregor is a masterful speaker famend for his verbal gymnastics. Right here he was waxing lyrical concerning the enemy’s house followers.

“I’ve some information for you all for the world right here: for me, I want to compete in Moscow, Russia, we all know that. We all know what bout I’m looking for right here in Russia. The Russian folks deserve this inevitable rematch to happen right here in Moscow. And it’ll occur,” McGregor introduced, gifting his new favourite viewers exclusivity to his plans and the promise of what can be the most important present in UFC historical past.

Having laid a declare to Russian followers, McGregor the wnet after Khabib’s allegiance, separating the Dagestani peoples of the South Russian Republic within the North Caucasus area from the nation. It was basic divide and conquer techniques.

“I’m undecided does he signify Russia? I don’t suppose he does signify Russia. I’ve by no means seen the person signify Russia in my life. Have you ever ever seen him increase a Russian flag like I increase the Irish flag with pleasure? I’ve by no means seen it as soon as in my life. He’s working from the bout in Moscow,” McGregor spewed.

“He can run and he does run. It’s within the nature of the Dagestani man to run. Each nice Russian is aware of this concerning the Dagestani males. Each Chechen is aware of this concerning the Dagestani males – they run and so they cower.”

In full infallible hero mode, McGregor was capable of relegate Khabib to villain standing and an enemy of the folks whereas setting the foundations to maneuver himself to usurp Khabib’s place because the golden boy of Russian sport.

Portraying himself because the saviour of sport to a nation of 150 million folks would additionally pay dividends within the enterprise sense. Within the massive brilliant lights of Moscow, his magnetic business presence and sharp enterprise acumen has gained followers in many alternative skilled spheres and can be the right stage on which to construct his whiskey model.

Exterior of younger MMA followers attracted by the cocksure swagger and UFC belts, there are journalists, influencers and people from the fringes of the sports activities world current that admire his brand-building expertise.

Throughout McGregor’s meteoric rise by way of the UFC ranks, the likes of which had by no means been witnessed in skilled MMA, his trusty catchphrase grew to become the straightforward but efficient: “We’re not right here to participate, we’re right here to take over”, and that may ring very true as regards a rematch with Khabib.

Who else can match Conor-Khabib II?

In his pre-fight media engagements, a notably extra reserved McGregor listed everybody from Manny Pacquiao and Paulie Malignaggi to to Floyd Mayweather.

Within the UFC, a swathe of fighter’s are lining as much as be a part of McGregor’s multi-million greenback struggle membership’. One is Justin Gaethje, who was touted as a attainable opponent for the Irishman’s UFC return, and likewise not too long ago bettered of Cerrone by TKO.

Light-weight Justin Gaethje might be a stern take a look at for McGregor – Reuters / Steven Branscombe

Every of the American’s performances within the UFC have ended with struggle bonuses, even in his two defeats underneath the group towards seasoned veterans Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez, and all have ended by knockout or TKO, which might guarantee an electrical assembly ought to he conflict with the ever-entertaining McGregor.

Gaethje holds a spot over McGregor within the UFC’s light-weight rankings, however the American holds no belt and his laborious to pronounce identify hardly carries family standing outdoors of MMA purists, that are the 2 most important elements for producing money.

Additionally outlined within the McGregor manifesto on the Moscow presser was the proprietor of the ‘Baddest Motherfucker Belt’, which grew to become Jorge Masvidal through a third-round physician stoppage over fan favourite and former Mac foe Nate Diaz in November.

Masvidal has repeatedly claimed that greenback indicators ping in his eyes on the considered a profitable showdown with McGregor, ‘GameBred’ and is able to put his pursuit of welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on maintain to get a shot on the UFC’s money cow.

“Usman’s all the time there the belt’s all the time gonna be there. The Conor struggle gained’t all the time be there, we don’t know. And that one occurs to take advantage of cash attainable. We gotta take it,” the 35-year-old instructed RT Sport in Las Vegas.

Dana White has made his place on that struggle clear and believes Conor is simply too small for a fly fledged profession welterweight and can be aiming to maintain the 2 aside.

White has already promised Conor will get rematch with Khabib if each come by way of their respective matches. UFC’s head honcho is clearly eager to money in on what he believes would develop into “the most important pay-per-view ever in UFC historical past”.

“He will get what he’s been ready for,” White answered when requested what comes subsequent for McGregor. “He will get what he’s been asking for. He has been chomping on the bit for the Khabib rematch. I feel it’s no massive secret.

“If he wins this weekend, he’ll get that shot on the title and will probably be the most important pay-per-view ever in UFC historical past.”

It’s additionally not past the realms of risk that Nate Diaz, who bowed out from the struggle recreation after defeat to Masvidal, might be tempted again to finish an epic trilogy towards McGregor, on condition that their final assembly at UFC 202 broke the document for the all-time pay per view buys.

All can be viable choices however none would come near the financial gravity and nonetheless scathing fascination of a rematch with Khabib and the golden likelihood to outright hijack his house nation followers and faucet into the Russian market within the course of.

If McGregor needs his ‘actual life Rocky story’ to be a field workplace success, he should dare to chase the eagle and make a sequel to his struggle with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

By Danny Armstrong

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© Getty Images / Jeff Bottari
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