UFC superstar Conor McGregor recently got a taste of gambling during his latest betting stint at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City earlier this month, where Alex Pereira was defending his title for the third time against Khalil Rountree Jr. McGregor placed a hefty bet of $1 million on Pereira, who did not disappoint him by scoring a knockout victory. As a result, McGregor’s bankroll saw a win of $200,000.

This experience echoed his quote, “A bad habit is like a bad bet; it’s easy to start and hard to stop.” Now, McGregor is continuing down the gambling path, setting his sights on the upcoming PFL ‘Battle of the Giants’ event in Saudi Arabia. In this event, Renan Ferreira will square off against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who is returning to the world of MMA, two years after parting ways with the UFC over a contract dispute.

McGregor has announced his support for Ferreira on X, where he shared an audio message stating, “Okay folks, the notorious Conor McGregor here. I am fighting! I fight tonight. Mike is back with his winning bets—100% winning ratio on these bets, right? Ngannou is losing by KO tonight, twelve to five. The Brazilian is going to knock him out, and I’m putting half a million on it! And I am gonna win back 1.7 million. That’s it; it’s a ruthless business, and I am ruthless, man.”

McGregor’s wager highlights the predictions made by other analysts, which are based on the massive size of Renan Ferreira. However, in all the odds, Francis Ngannou still stands taller, as he aims to fulfill his own aspirations—not for himself, but for his late son, Kobe.

Francis Ngannou’s source of motivation for his upcoming showdown

It’s not a matter of how much of a champion a man is; carrying the burden of a deceased child is always heavier for anyone, even for Francis Ngannou, who has established himself as a prominent figure and a formidable presence in the fight game. However, losing a child pales in comparison to the challenges he has faced in life. He endured the sudden loss of his child, Kobe, who died under mysterious circumstances later revealed to be due to brain malformation. This loss not only shook him but also the entire MMA community, which mourned his passing.

However, Ngannou has now recovered and is ready to step into the cage with one focus in mind: to tribute this win to his son, Kobe. ‘The Predator’ recently told CNN Sports about his intention when he steps to fight against 6’8″ Brazilian juggernaut Renan Ferreira. He stated, “The best way to pay tribute to him, to honor him, is to do something positive. To keep staying active because that’s the best way to pay tribute to him instead of just quitting. If I had stopped fighting, that would have been like quitting. It wasn’t a time for me to retire or stop fighting.”

What’s your take on Conor McGregor’s bet? Do you believe that Renan Ferreira will end the shining status of Francis Ngannou in the MMA realm? Drop your opinion below.