UFC 257 turned out to be a historic night for fight fans all around the world. Conor McGregor suffered the first knockout loss of his illustrious career against Dustin Poirier, who successfully avenged his setback from almost seven years ago. McGregor’s former foe, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was watching the event, and he took to Twitter to mock ‘The Notorious’ for his defeat.
“This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality,” Nurmagomedov wrote on Twitter.
This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 24, 2021
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In reality, though, Nurmagomedov’s claims are a little out of the blue. McGregor has been a part of the SBG Ireland team for a long time and has had the same group of people around him since day one. So, what Nurmagomedov wanted to refer to here, remains unclear. Maybe it was just an effort on his part to kick his former opponent while he was down.
Nevertheless, McGregor didn’t take those comments too seriously at the UFC 257 post-fight press conference. He rather called for respect for the athletes and challenged Nurmagomedov. ‘The Notorious’ said, “Come back and let’s go again, my man!”
McGregor looked sharply at the start of the fight, but eventually, Poirier’s leg kicks started taking a toll on him. He suffered severe damage which resulted in a dead leg that proved to be pivotal. Given the way in which ‘The Diamond’ executed his game plan, he deserves every plaudit he is getting for that.
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Can Conor McGregor come back and conquer the division?
McGregor’s future remains in doubt currently. The loss can certainly awake the winner in him and make him hungrier. But, it can also work in the other direction, as he can call it a day for now. He has got all the money in the world and has already achieved everything in his career. It’s tough to stay motivated when someone is that successful and wealthy.
There are still enticing fights for him should he decide to continue fighting. Nate Diaz is set for a comeback at lightweight and a trilogy with him has been long touted. Now, a trilogy against Dustin Poirier too could be on the cards.
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What’s next for ‘The Notorious‘? What do you make of Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s comments on the Irishman’s defeat?