Anderson Silva respects both men, but believes Khabib Nurmagomedov is superior to Conor McGregor ‘in this moment’.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor could very well be the biggest fight in UFC history, with both men seemingly in the prime of their careers and having demolished most of their opponents inside the Octagon.
Khabib is undefeated. McGregor is 21-3, having lost only once in the last eight years. ‘The Eagle’ is a wrestler. McGregor a striker. Not only is this set to be one of the biggest fights of all time, but it is also one of the most stylistically enticing and unpredictable match-ups in recent history, with both men masters of their opposing crafts.
Nurmagomedov is arguably the most ferocious wrestler in the game, with a solid chin and top-notch cardio to boot. McGregor, who recently turned 30, is a knockout machine, finishing most of his opponents with that vaunted left hand.
Khabib has questionable holes in his defense and footwork. McGregor struggles to maintain a pace and has fallen to grapplers in the past. Whomever emerges victorious at UFC 229 will be crowned the best lightweight in the sport and possibly top the UFC’s official pound-for-pound list.
Anderson Silva, a former pound-for-pound great himself, has the utmost respect for both men’s skills but believes that, right now, Nurmagomedov is the better fighter.
“Khabib [Nurmagomedov] is a great fighter. I’m very impressed. Conor [McGregor] is a great fighter. Having a new generation of fighters, especially in the UFC … this is a huge company that’s worked for a long time to get the great fighters in the sport. I think Khabib is the best, here, in this moment,” Silva said in a recent interview with Inquisitr.
Silva could be right, or McGregor could shock the world with another highlight reel KO against another seemingly invincible opponent. All will be revealed at UFC 229, which is set to take place on Oct. 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.