It’s going to be a great couple of months for sport around the globe. The UEFA Champions League kicks off in mid-September, Gennady Golovkin will have his highly-anticipated rematch with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, the Ryder Cup will see some spectacular golf and we will also get to see the start of the NFL season and conclusion of the MLB season in the United States.
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Nestled in between those events is UFC 229 on 6th October, which will see the return of Conor “Notorious” McGregor to the Octagon after a 23-month hiatus. The Irishman will take on Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. To say MMA fans are eagerly awaiting the clash is an understatement – this will be the biggest fight of the year.
To understand the phenomenal rise of UFC, you have to see it through the progression of Conor McGregor. The Irishman is the face of the sport. Sure, there are probably better fighters out there – only a couple, mind you – but none who match his sense of showmanship, his exuberance, his ability to make the fights seem like a spectacle.
McGregor stripped of title in April
Most will be aware that McGregor was last involved in a much-hyped boxing match with Floyd Mayweather last year. McGregor, of course, lost, but the fact that he, essentially as an amateur, was able to hang in a ring for 10 rounds with one of the greatest boxers in history tells you a lot about the man’s ability.
(image via https://twitter.com/fmwilliams25/status/1035071464846897152)
The fight against Khabib sees McGregor attempt to hunt down the belt he never lost. He was stripped of the title in April for failing to defend it. But Khabib is no placeholder champion. The Russian has broken the record for the most consecutive MMA victories. In fact, he is the bookmakers’ favourite for the fight.
The latest Khabib vs McGregor betting markets show the Russian priced at 4/6 with Betfair, with McGregor given odds of 6/5. That shows the fight will be pretty close, but the stature of the bout means there are lots of other attractive betting markets. McGregor, for example, has won 86% of his fights by KO/TKO. Odds of 15/8 (William Hill) look decent for a win by KO/TKO/Disqualification for the Irishman.
Khabib will win it on the floor
Of course, a lot of the betting has gone on Khabib, despite the fact he does not have McGregor’s star power or big fight experience. The 3/1 from William Hill that the Russian wins by submission is proving to be a popular bet, as Khabib is excellent on the mat. Indeed, if he takes McGregor to the floor most pundits believe the fight will be over.
Those betting markets really do highlight what the fight is all about. McGregor is a pure striker, with a devastating left hook. He wins the fight if both men stay on their feet. Khabib, on the other hand, is a wrestler, more comfortable on the ground. The clash of styles sometimes makes for a poor fight, as it encourages conservative action. But everything in these two fighters’ repertoires suggests that the opposite will be true.
It looks like a toss-up and that’s part of the excitement. The two personalities involved suggest this could be the most momentous MMA fight of the year, perhaps even one of the biggest sporting events of the year. Either way, it looks like it will be unmissable. Make sure to put 6th October into your sports diary.
Tags: Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Las Vegas, UFC, UFC 229, United States
