Former undisputed UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, Conor McGregor and streaking 155lbs contender, Rafael Fiziev has come to verbal blows, at least, with the latter urging the Dubliner to come train with him at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand, as the two argued striking defense and techniques.
Conor McGregor, a former two-division champion under the UFC banner, has been sidelined since July of last year, suffering a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against Dustin Poirier after he fractured his left tibia at the end of the first round.
For Fiziev, the surging Kazakhstan striker will make his first headlining outing under the UFC’s banner this weekend against former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos, tackling the Brazilian at UFC Vegas 58.
A hugely accomplished striker and coach at renowned Muay Thai facility, Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Fiziev, a renowned striker himself, received major plaudits for his striking defense during his kickboxing career, as well as his ‘Fight Island’ outing against Marc Diakiese, hinging at the hips to avoid a high kick attempt.
Conor McGregor and Rafael Fiziev share a series of tweets arguing techniques
Breaking down Fiziev’s patented technique, McGregor urged aggressors to utilize an axe kick rather than a roundhouse kick attempt.
“This is awesome,” Conor McGregor tweeted in response to Rafael Fiziev’s defensive manoeuvres. “Change the roundhouse to an axe kick. Roundhouse into the axe kick and this defense eats the full of the heal. I’m telling you. If their reaction to a high kick is this, implement the axe.”
In response to McGregor, Fiziev offered to train the 33-year-old at Tiger Muay Thai, and claimed the former was living in a “fantasy world”.
“Conor, I invite you to @tigermuaythai where we can show you how to kick and defend the kicks properly so you can stop living in fantasy world where you think it’s possible to land an axe kick in this situation,” Rafael Fiziev tweeted.
In a series of responses to the upcoming main event feature, Fiziev, McGregor accepted an offer to train alongside him in Thailand, however, insisted that he was not living in a fantasy world, and told Fiziev how he has yet to achieve anything “significant” in the sport of mixed martial arts so far.
“I’m not disrespecting,” Conor McGregor tweeted. “I’m telling you, I’ve faced this defense habit a lot in my time where I knew every high kick I threw was being pulled back from and hitting air. I then began changing to an axe kick and came down on top with great success. That or the running roundhouse.”
“”Fantasy world” is thinking that this major defensive habit you have developed is impenetrable,” Conor McGregor tweeted to Rafael Fiziev. “It is, very much so penetrable. Habits are opportunities to set traps. Good luck.”
“Thank you for the offer,” McGregor tweeted. “When I am in Thailand I will head here for sure! Don’t disrespect you are yet to do anything significant in this sport. Good luck in your upcoming fight.”