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via Imago
Credits: Imago
Conor McGregor is highly regarded for his entertaining antics and legendary bouts. Back in November 2016, he showcased one of his most iconic performances against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. The Irishman knocked out the mighty Alvarez after three minutes and four seconds into the second round. At that time, ‘The Notorious’ held the UFC featherweight title as well, and he stepped up a weight class to take on the UFC lightweight champion. McGregor’s electrifying performance took the audience members at Madison Square Garden to the edge of their seats.
Even after all these years, people still talk about the day when McGregor became the first-ever UFC double-division champion. His victory against Alvarez still gives fight fans goosebumps. Among those who praise ‘The Notorious’ for his featherweight and lightweight championship victories, one is UFC legend Chael Sonnen. Now, Sonnen has claimed that Alexander Volkanovski tried to duplicate McGregor’s fighting career but failed in the attempt.
Chael Sonnen discusses Volkanovski’s failed attempt at duplicating Conor McGregor
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Chael Sonnen was recently talking on his YouTube channel about Conor McGregor’s fighting career. He said, “He finished Jose Aldo at 155 with Eddie Alvarez. There was a finish I remember saying he showed absolute domination. He might be the best fighter ever. It’s been tried, other people have tried to duplicate it.” He further added, “Volkanovski, just by example. As great as he is and he is as great, he tried to do what Conor did and didn’t do it. I’m just sharing for you. That’s how good the guy is.“
According to Sonnen, Alexander Volkanovski tried to duplicate McGregor’s career but failed to become the lightweight champion. Alexander Volkanovski won his featherweight belt in 2019 at UFC 245. He defeated Max Holloway by split decision after a five-round bout. Later, while reigning as the featherweight champion, he moved up to the lightweight division to face Islam Makhachev. However, he lost the bout via unanimous decision. Interestingly, Volkanovski has defended his featherweight title a whopping five times, whereas McGregor has made zero title defenses across two divisions.
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Sonnen showers the Irishman with praises
Chael Sonnen has praised Conor McGregor on several occasions. While Sonnen was a UFC fighter, he attracted a lot of attention by being the biggest trash talker in the promotion. Later, the same path was followed by Conor McGregor, and ‘The American Gangster’ believes that McGregor is the best at it. According to Sonnen, the Irishman is a true performer who knows how to capture the attention of the fight fans.
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The retired UFC fighter appreciated how the Irishman stayed relevant, even after staying away from the UFC octagon for a long time. On numerous occasions ‘The American Gangster’ has appreciated the ability of McGregor to pull the crowd towards him. Even after losing against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, the Irishman made sure that the attention of the crowd would be on him. What are your thoughts about McGregor being the crowd-puller? Let us know in the comments below.
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