Tag: Firas Zahabi

Firas Zahabi Predicts Jorge Masvidal To Beat Conor McGregor

Firas Zahabi believes Conor McGregor is the best puncher in the UFC — however, he still sees Jorge Masvidal beating him if they were to fight. Masvidal’s stock has exponentially risen in 2019 following emphatic victories over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz. There is now talk of him facing McGregor next with the […]

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Firas Zahabi believes Conor McGregor is the best puncher in the UFC — however, he still sees Jorge Masvidal beating him if they were to fight.

Masvidal’s stock has exponentially risen in 2019 following emphatic victories over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz. There is now talk of him facing McGregor next with the two going back-and-forth ever since UFC 244 this past weekend.

Participating in a recent AMA session on YouTube, Zahabi — head coach of Tristar Gym — praised the Irishman’s skills but ultimately believes there are some bad matchups out there for him with Masvidal being one of them:

“I honestly would tell you that probably McGregor is the best puncher in the UFC,” Zahabi said on his YouTube channel (via Bloody Elbow). “If I had to choose one guy off the top of my head, I would pick McGregor right now. However, there are guys out there who are very dangerous punchers, and I would say Jorge is among the elite.

“I think (Masvidal) beats McGregor. I think McGregor is a great fighter. I just think Masvidal is too big. He’s a great puncher and has a great chin. If he takes McGregor past the two rounds, it’s going to be the Masvidal show.”

It’s an opinion that many seem to share now, especially given how Masvidal was able to dominate Diaz with relative ease for as long as their UFC 244 headliner lasted.

He’s not completely ruling out McGregor’s chances. However, he still sees it going the way of “Gamebred”:

“I think he’s [Masvidal] very smart. He’s gonna do it,” Zahabi added. “I’m not saying McGregor has no chance of winning, but he’d have to win early and he’d have to connect with the left — and everybody kind of knows now what McGregor does. I think Masvidal’s gonna have a really good game plan, come really prepared, and he’s a lot bigger.

“If McGregor had a hard time with Nate, he’s going to have a tremendously difficult time with Masvidal.”

Do you agree with Zahabi’s view?

 

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Firas Zahabi Doesn’t Expect Rory MacDonald Retirement If He Wins Bellator Grand Prix

Tristar coach Firas Zahabi doesn’t expect Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald to retire if he wins his next fight. MacDonald defends his title in a rematch against Douglas Lima in the final of the Bellator welterweight grand prix. That fight takes place at Bellator 232 on October 26 with the winner not only winning the […]

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Tristar coach Firas Zahabi doesn’t expect Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald to retire if he wins his next fight.

MacDonald defends his title in a rematch against Douglas Lima in the final of the Bellator welterweight grand prix. That fight takes place at Bellator 232 on October 26 with the winner not only winning the grand prix, but also receiving a $1 million prize.

And with “Red King” seemingly having his motivations elsewhere, at least based on his performances this year and previous hints at retirement, winning at Bellator 232 would be the ideal way to go out.

But even if that’s the case, Zahabi doesn’t expect the retirement to last long:

“Let’s say he won a million and retired, I feel like personally he’s going to come back even if he doesn’t need the money,” Zahabi told MMA Junkie. “That’s just where I feel he’s at. He’s going to miss fighting if he ever hangs it up. In my opinion he has a lot more fight left in him. Before the Neiman (Gracie) fight people were like, ‘Did he just retire?’ That’s not what he said.

“Fighters are emotional after a fight. Some of them do retire for real. It does happen, but it also swings the other way. You start feeling like you want to go back in. Georges (St-Pierre) at one point retired, he wasn’t sure and he came back to win the world title. I never count them out, personally I never count that out.”

MacDonald faces a tough task in Lima if he wants that million dollar prize, though. Although he won the title against the Brazilian via unanimous decision last year, it was by no means a cakewalk for the Canadian who absorbed a lot of damage.

And for Zahabi, he expects an interesting fight because the pair have already shared 25 minutes inside the cage together:

“It’s an interesting fight because they already fought before and it was so close,” Zahabi explained. “Before you fight a guy like Lima, you know what he does, but you don’t know the chemistry, how his chemistry is going to be with Rory. Now we saw what their chemistry is like. Styles is a major component of MMA, more than any other combat sport. Boxing, yes, styles matter, but it’s still boxing. There’s not as many possibilities for change, whereas MMA there’s so many things that could be different.

“There are more possibilities, so now that we know what their chemistry is like we’re going to explore the different possibilities. Because they know each other so well they’re going to go in there with a different strategy, at least we are. It’s going to be a competitive fight, but always a different fight.”

Who do you think wins in the rematch? Do you think MacDonald will retire if he wins?

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Firas Zahabi Doesn’t Expect Rory MacDonald Retirement If He Wins Bellator Grand Prix

Tristar coach Firas Zahabi doesn’t expect Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald to retire if he wins his next fight. MacDonald defends his title in a rematch against Douglas Lima in the final of the Bellator welterweight grand prix. That fight takes place at Bellator 232 on October 26 with the winner not only winning the […]

The post Firas Zahabi Doesn’t Expect Rory MacDonald Retirement If He Wins Bellator Grand Prix appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Tristar coach Firas Zahabi doesn’t expect Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald to retire if he wins his next fight.

MacDonald defends his title in a rematch against Douglas Lima in the final of the Bellator welterweight grand prix. That fight takes place at Bellator 232 on October 26 with the winner not only winning the grand prix, but also receiving a $1 million prize.

And with “Red King” seemingly having his motivations elsewhere, at least based on his performances this year and previous hints at retirement, winning at Bellator 232 would be the ideal way to go out.

But even if that’s the case, Zahabi doesn’t expect the retirement to last long:

“Let’s say he won a million and retired, I feel like personally he’s going to come back even if he doesn’t need the money,” Zahabi told MMA Junkie. “That’s just where I feel he’s at. He’s going to miss fighting if he ever hangs it up. In my opinion he has a lot more fight left in him. Before the Neiman (Gracie) fight people were like, ‘Did he just retire?’ That’s not what he said.

“Fighters are emotional after a fight. Some of them do retire for real. It does happen, but it also swings the other way. You start feeling like you want to go back in. Georges (St-Pierre) at one point retired, he wasn’t sure and he came back to win the world title. I never count them out, personally I never count that out.”

MacDonald faces a tough task in Lima if he wants that million dollar prize, though. Although he won the title against the Brazilian via unanimous decision last year, it was by no means a cakewalk for the Canadian who absorbed a lot of damage.

And for Zahabi, he expects an interesting fight because the pair have already shared 25 minutes inside the cage together:

“It’s an interesting fight because they already fought before and it was so close,” Zahabi explained. “Before you fight a guy like Lima, you know what he does, but you don’t know the chemistry, how his chemistry is going to be with Rory. Now we saw what their chemistry is like. Styles is a major component of MMA, more than any other combat sport. Boxing, yes, styles matter, but it’s still boxing. There’s not as many possibilities for change, whereas MMA there’s so many things that could be different.

“There are more possibilities, so now that we know what their chemistry is like we’re going to explore the different possibilities. Because they know each other so well they’re going to go in there with a different strategy, at least we are. It’s going to be a competitive fight, but always a different fight.”

Who do you think wins in the rematch? Do you think MacDonald will retire if he wins?

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Firas Zahabi Claims Tyron Woodley Is Adding ‘A New Dimension To His Game’

Ahead of his eventual return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has been working with Firas Zahabi at Tristar gym. Speaking with MMA Junkie, Zahabi detailed his work with “The Chosen One,” who he teases is adding “a new dimension to his game” after suffering a lopsided unanimous decision […]

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Ahead of his eventual return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has been working with Firas Zahabi at Tristar gym.

Speaking with MMA Junkie, Zahabi detailed his work with “The Chosen One,” who he teases is adding “a new dimension to his game” after suffering a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman earlier this year – losing the welterweight title.

“When you’re champion for a long time, people are getting to know your style,” Zahabi said. “I think what happens is everyone is always watching the No. 1 guy, the champion, so they start figuring him out. Not as many people are watching the guy who is No. 10 or No. 15 or No. 4. They’re all watching the No. 1 guy. So the No. 1 guy has to keep reinventing himself.

“With Tyron, we’re going to try to add a new wrinkle that nobody knows so that, when he goes back in there, he’ll be at the same level, of course, but he’ll have new tricks in his bag, new surprises for his opponents. Things that he’s comfortable doing that’ll work and they’re going to have to figure him out on fight night, not before fight night because he’s going to be having a new wrinkle, a new dimension to his game.”

Woodley had a six-fight win streak snapped when he lost to Usman earlier this year. He won the welterweight title back in 2016 after knocking out Robbie Lawler in the first round. After three successful title defenses, Woodley dropped the strap to Usman, who he hopes to rematch down the road to prove he’s truly the better of the pair.

Of course, he’ll have to wait for his shot, as Colby Covington will take on “The Nigerian Nightmare” next in the main event of UFC 245 this December.

What do you think about Zahabi claiming that Woodley is adding a new dimension to his game? Who do you want to see Woodley face upon his return to the Octagon?

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Firas Zahabi Says ‘Ship Has Sailed’ On Georges St-Pierre Cutting To 155

Dana White is now open to the possibility of getting a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre done. However, if such a fight were to take place, it would have to likely take place at welterweight. According to St-Pierre’s longtime coach, Firas Zahabi, the “ship has sailed” on the Canadian cutting down to 155 […]

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Dana White is now open to the possibility of getting a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre done.

However, if such a fight were to take place, it would have to likely take place at welterweight. According to St-Pierre’s longtime coach, Firas Zahabi, the “ship has sailed” on the Canadian cutting down to 155 pounds, as he told MMA Junkie.

“Right now I think the ship has sailed on 155,” Zahabi said. “I don’t think Georges will ever do 155. I think there was a time and place and window where Georges would make that sacrifice to do a mega-fight. But I think that window’s passed, personally.”

Earlier this year St-Pierre retired from MMA competition for the second time in his career after the UFC showed no interest in making a fight between “Rush” and Nurmagomdov. From the sound of it, the only fight that would tempt St-Pierre out of retirement again is a matchup with “The Eagle.”

He seems to be enjoying his life away from fighting, but that’s not to say he wouldn’t get back into the Octagon for a “mega-fight.”

“He’s older now, and life is good,” Zahabi said. “He’s found a social life, a balance in life of training and family and friends. To leave all that to do a 155 is a big cost in terms of sacrificing energy and preparation. He would have to prep six months to get to that. He would have to set it up to get done. 155 would be work. Is he going to work that much? I think that ship has sailed.

“I’m not talking for Georges. In my opinion he’ll only come back for a mega-fight. Like a mega-fight. No titles needed, either. Could be a title. I don’t think that’s really important to him. Like a mega-fight. Only those two names (Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor) that are the names big enough for him and enticing.”

Do you think the window has passed for St-Pierre fighting at lightweight?

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Firas Zahabi Feels ‘Ship Has Sailed’ On Khabib vs. GSP At Lightweight

Head coach at Tristar Gym, Firas Zahabi, believes that the chances of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Georges St-Pierre at 155 pounds have fizzled out. St-Pierre has expressed interest in fighting UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov. St-Pierre was adamant ab…

Head coach at Tristar Gym, Firas Zahabi, believes that the chances of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Georges St-Pierre at 155 pounds have fizzled out. St-Pierre has expressed interest in fighting UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov. St-Pierre was adamant about being able to cut the weight and even appeared to look slimmer in more recent photos. Unfortunately for […]

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