Former dual weight UFC champion Conor McGregor has been admiring his handy work against Khabib Nurmagomedov while simultaneously campaigning for knees to a downed opponent to be made legal.
McGregor took to social media to highlight one particular shot from his fourth-round submission loss to ‘The Eagle’ in 2018. In the clip ‘Notorious’ is on his back and in a tough spot against one of the best wrestlers in MMA history.
The Irishman then fires off a sneaky knee to his opponent’s face. On the commentary Joe Rogan immediately points it out as an illegal strike. McGregor recognizes that the knee was illegal, but it didn’t stop him admiring the shot which he called to be legitimized moving forward.
“The knee into the eye socket was illegal yes, from this position. A beauty tho,” McGregor wrote alongside a clip from his fight with Nurmagomedov. “Never before seen shot. Like many of my shots. I use the mount defence leg as a spring board, loading the knee below it. Release and straight to the eye socket. Smashed it in! @joerogan. Hey Dana.”
“This strike should not be illegal,” McGregor continued. “Should actually be enshrined! Look at him cower his head after it and keep it tucked. Kept honest! Guy is latched onto my arm not letting go. Everything bar biting and gouging should be permitted here. Are we fighting or what are we doing here?”
McGregor has been retired from fighting for much of 2020 after becoming disillusioned by the lack of opponents available to him after beating Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246 in January. As of late talk has turned to his impending return. A January 23 rematch against Dustin Poirier has been verbally agreed upon and now just needs contracts to be signed.
Do you agree with Conor McGregor? Should this type of knee be made legal?