Kavanagh: I’d ‘bet almost anything’ Conor McGregor vs. Khabib happens in 2018

[OctoberRed]

The most anticipated fight in the UFC right now has a very good chance of happening before the end of 2018, per a source who knows a little something about the matter.

John Kavanagh, Conor McGregor’s longtime coach, said over the weekend in a chat with MMA analyst Robin Black (h/t MMA Nytt) that he believes we will see McGregor taking on Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title before the year is out.


“It’s the obvious fight, as his coach and as a fan,” Kavanagh said. “As a fan of MMA, it’s the fight I want to see as well. I would almost bet anything — almost bet anything — that fight happens before the end of the year.”

How confident is Kavanagh that it will happen? The SBG Ireland head man can’t envision a scenario where it does not.

“I can’t imagine it not happening,” Kavanagh said.

McGregor, 29, is due back in a Brooklyn court on charges of assault and criminal mischief on July 26. The former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, along with about a dozen friends and teammates, attacked a UFC fighter bus after UFC 223 media day in April. McGregor was captured on camera throwing a dolly at the bus, shattering a window and injuring fighters inside.

McGregor’s team is currently negotiating a plea deal and he’ll likely avoid jail time. “The Notorious” went after the bus reportedly because Nurmagomedov was on it. One day earlier, Nurmagomedov and his team confronted McGregor’s friend and teammate Artem Lobov at the UFC fighter hotel in Brooklyn. McGregor’s attack was reportedly in retaliation.

Two days later, Nurmagomedov captured the vacant lightweight title, left by McGregor, with a win over Al Iaquinta. McGregor had not defended the belt after winning it from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in 2016. McGregor and Nurmagomedov have been circling each other for quite some time and the bout is a highly anticipated one.

['b']

I really hope this fight happens, would be interesting to see how Mcgregor is after so much time out though...

Whoever wins this though is probably going to be named p4p#1, as there is no way to rewrite history after so much hype both fighters have gotten. Personally, I don't think Khabib is anywhere near as god like as people have made him out to be, sometimes it's just luck down to not fighting the style that opposes yours.

I think Mcgregor has a serious chance, and I think Kevin Lee has an even better chance. Both have great striking, reach advantages and power - and the fight starts on the feet, not the ground. Kevin Lee is physically stronger than Mcgregor with a longer reach, plus he has wrestling to fall back on.

I think both dominate Khabib on the feet, but if/when it goes to ground I'd bet Lee has better tools to deal with it than Mcgregor, although Khabib is obviously unmatched on the ground at LW.

Even if Mcgregor were to beat Lee 10 times out of 10, I still think stylisitically Lee is a bigger threat to Khabib.

(Another thing, be interesting to see Conor vs Lee, who I view as the 2 best pure strikers at LW. Mcgregor only fought Diaz who had a larger reach than him, as does Lee. Mcgregor has perhaps more power, better technical skill, but does Lee have better handspeed that can negate Mcgregor's counter-punching?, plus longer reach that can negate his distance control?)

[OctoberRed]

I really hope this fight happens, would be interesting to see how Mcgregor is after so much time out though...

Whoever wins this though is probably going to be named p4p#1, as there is no way to rewrite history after so much hype both fighters have gotten. Personally, I don't think Khabib is anywhere near as god like as people have made him out to be, sometimes it's just luck down to not fighting the style that opposes yours.

I think Mcgregor has a serious chance, and I think Kevin Lee has an even better chance. Both have great striking, reach advantages and power - and the fight starts on the feet, not the ground. Kevin Lee is physically stronger than Mcgregor with a longer reach, plus he has wrestling to fall back on.

I think both dominate Khabib on the feet, but if/when it goes to ground I'd bet Lee has better tools to deal with it than Mcgregor, although Khabib is obviously unmatched on the ground at LW.

Even if Mcgregor were to beat Lee 10 times out of 10, I still think stylisitically Lee is a bigger threat to Khabib.

(Another thing, be interesting to see Conor vs Lee, who I view as the 2 best pure strikers at LW. Mcgregor only fought Diaz who had a larger reach than him, as does Lee. Mcgregor has perhaps more power, better technical skill, but does Lee have better handspeed that can negate Mcgregor's counter-punching?, plus longer reach that can negate his distance control?)

Seriously doubt he faces Khabib in fight one.

[Anthony342]

Then Khabib will still have to defend his title against someone before being able to sign fights with Ferguson, who is out with an injury and Conor, who will probably want a more favorable opponent for any kind of comeback fight.