Last week, it was announced brash UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor will take on Russian/German kickboxer Dennis Siver in front of a pro-Irish crowd Jan. 18 in Boston. McGregor vs. Siver will be an emotionally charged contest, with the pair exchanging barbs over social media, but is it the right matchup?
McGregor has managed to back up his trash talk in his undefeated UFC career thus far with one-sided wins over Diego Brandao, and most recently Dustin Poirier. The outspoken Irishmen has his sights set on another opponent, even if it means he’s not fighting for a belt. That opponent, Siver, a 35-year-old veteran, is ranked 10th in the featherweight division and defeated Charles Rosa earlier this month.
Siver, while more than a credible opponent, has lost some traction as of late. He’s gone 1-1-[1] in his last three fights and was suspended for the majority of this year for testing positive for HCG. Questions as to whether he deserves to headline a fight card so soon have been asked and subsequently answered by Dublin’s own.
“I’m going to rip his head off. I’m going to punish him for it,” McGregor told reporters in Brazil last Friday. “It is what it is. When you look down the roster, there’s a lot of people matched up. Plus, he spoke out of turn. He should’ve kept his mouth shut.”
The Russian-born Siver was once considered a threat to the 155- and 145-pound crowns but was halted at the gates by Donald Cerrone and resurgent Cub Swanson, respectively. He is a large featherweight and a game opponent who can unleash a barrage of bone-crushing kicks and powerful hooks at any moment. Siver also possesses solid jiu-jitsu and wrestling skills.
The former contender may not have made the smartest move by jawing with the upstart McGregor, who sits at No. 5 in the featherweight rankings. The 26-year-old has amassed 16 wins in mixed martial arts after he began his career in 2008.
McGregor‘s fighting style is complementary to the venom that comes forth from his mouth. With an in-your-face, always-pushing-forward type of game plan, he gives opponents no time to rest; it’s something you want to do if you’re going to beat Jose Aldo.
McGregor is on the fast track to a title shot and he has no plans on waiting; he willingly accepted this fight. A win over a game veteran will do little to improve his standing but a loss, which is always possible, would be a severely disappointing blow to his title aspirations.
McGregor will undoubtedly be a heavy favorite going into this fight and is equipped with the tools to beat Siver. His stand-up skills are extraordinary and precise, landing 4.6 strikes per minute. The Dublin native fires off jabs and straight punches as fast as a Bugatti Veyron peels off the lot. McGregor effortlessly inflicts the body with crippling hooks and even throws in a spinning back kick or elbow. His ground game hasn’t been on display partly because his fights end so early.
While he has fought four times in the UFC, three of those fights have ended via first-round TKO. In his victory over Max Holloway, McGregor showed fight fans the other side of his offensive repertoire, taking down the youngster four times and making several passes before eventually achieving the mount.
McGregor insists he doesn’t look past opponents, but he has to be giddy about this matchup. Siver has been known to wilt under pressure and has been blitzed before by men like Swanson and Melvin Guillard. Siver‘s best opportunity to win may come by taking the fight to the ground or employing some dirty boxing and grinding McGregor against the cage. That is if he can catch the explosive, and super athletic, Irishman.
As far as the MMA world knows, McGregor may have no weaknesses. We’ve only seen him go the distance once in his UFC career. He hasn’t truly been tested yet, but if the bout with Poirier is any indication, it could be a reflection of unparalleled greatness.
A matchup with Siver is the only feasible opponent at 145-pounds for McGregor with names like Swanson, Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Lamas and Dennis Bermudez already booked. A win over Siver, for McGregor, means he combats complacency and collects a paycheck, all the while solidifying his position in the top five of the division.
Meanwhile, if Siver were to win, it might be comparable to Matt Serra derailing GSP’s ascension to the pound-for-pound forefront back in 2007. Alright, maybe not quite that bad, but it would hurt McGregor and UFC brass tremendously.
If McGregor bests Siver in January, UFC President Dana White thinks Aldo will meet him sometime next summer, which would mean a potential layoff of six to eight months. That’s much more manageable than waiting 10-12.
Aldo is an interesting beast to figure out because he doesn’t have many weaknesses other than his cardio. The 28-year-old cuts a lot of weight but has cleaned up the issue. His chin can handle the best’s toughest shots, and his takedown defense rivals that of the departed Georges St-Pierre’s. McGregor poses no threat Aldo hasn’t seen before, and we’ve never seen a more emotional Aldo up until this second bout with Chad Mendes.
McGregor can say he’s going to beat the champ all he wants, but there’s a big difference between saying and doing.
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