The heavyweight boxing legend believes Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey will learn from their mistakes and return to form in the UFC.
If there’s one fighter who’s familiar with the highs and lows of combat sports, it’s heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson. Tyson, 49, built a reputation as ‘the baddest man on the planet’ when he was running rampant through the heavyweight division in the 80’s.
Things came crashing down for ‘Iron Mike’ when he was knocked out by Buster Douglas in the 10th round at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Things also came crashing down for Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor when they were both recently humbled in the Octagon.
“Rowdy”, who lost her bantamweight title in devastating fashion to Holly Holm at UFC 193, broke down on the Ellen Degeneres show when she admitted to suicidal thoughts in the wake of her loss. McGregor, on the other hand, was clearly upset with the outcome to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 but seems to be taking the loss in his stride.
Tyson believes both fighters are going through the motions but will learn from their mistakes and rebound with conviction. Here’s what what the combat sports veteran had to say about Rousey:
“Listen, you say those things, but that’s just our ego’s really being bruised that’s all,” Tyson told “The Jim Rome Show” recently. “We get it together, we realize it’s a discipline, we need to correct some mistakes that we made to increase our desire, and life goes on.
“Now she’s going to get ready to fight the girl (Miesha Tate) that just beat Holly Holm and most likely she’s going to beat that woman.”
The former boxing world champion also believes McGregor was too ambitious with his move up to welterweight and offered the Irishman some encouraging words of advice.
“My personal opinion, I think he went up too fast in weight, and I think he fought the wrong guy in that weight,” Tyson said. “It’s just something that happens in fighting, and we should all learn from our mistakes.
“That’s what fighting is all about, learning from our mistakes, improving our mistakes, and improving ourselves. Not giving up.”
It’s expected that Ronda Rousey will rematch Miesha Tate for the batamweight title and McGregor will move back down to featherweight to defend his championship.