Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz and CEO of dominance MMA thinks Conor McGregor is taking the easy option for his Octagon return.
After allegedly retiring from the sport but hinting multiple MMA returns and potential opponents, Conor McGregor officially announced that he was in talks with the UFC to make his Octagon return. After months of speculation, it was announced this week that “The Notorious” would be back in action at UFC 246 on January 18th, 2020 to face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
January 18th promises to be Cowboy’s 51st fight. A veteran of the sport and one of the most resiliant fighters on the UFC roster, Cerrone is no slouch. However Ali Abdelaziz believes the challenge Cowboy presents pales in comparison to fellow lightweight prospect, Justin Gaethje.
He posted on Instagram:
“I’m happy for cowboy he got the fight. I still believe he is gonna win but @justin_gaethje was the fight to take if you want to fight for a LW title. When you fight Justin it’s kill or be killed and he knows it but it’s all good.”
The Instagram picture he posted regarding Gaethje and Cerrone was very telling. Both lightweight faced each other in their last bout at UFC Vancouver. Gaethje predicted either fighter would be “going to sleep” in the first round. His prediction proved to be true as “The Highlight” lived up to his name and finished his opponent with less than a minute left of the first round.
Gaethje is using his last win to inch towards a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov. In the process, he has called out McGregor on multiple occassions for a white. Since last week’s fight announcement, it is clear what fight had captured the interest of McGregor and a potential Gaethje matchup will have to be put on the backburner.
Also, McGregor may be focusing his future career prospects within the welterweight division, as he will be fighting Cerrone at 170 pounds. Who do you think would be a harder opponent for the Irish former champion? Sound off in the comments below!