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Makhachev Vs. McGregor? ‘People Have To Be Stupid To Say No’

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Islam Makhachev has no issues stepping into the Octagon with Conor McGregor.
Well, it sounds like Makhachev’s best buddy, former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion,…

UFC 229 Khabib v McGregor — Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Islam Makhachev has no issues stepping into the Octagon with Conor McGregor.

Well, it sounds like Makhachev’s best buddy, former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, Daniel Cormier, might finally be getting through to the Lightweight kingpin. “D.C.” has been stating in recent months that Makhachev needs to beat big stars to become a big star, and his next match up against Dustin Poirier can help contribute to that at UFC 302 next month (Sat., June 1, 2024).

What comes after Poirier? Arman Tsarukyan is the obvious choice as the No. 1 contender at 155 pounds. However, at the end of the same month that Makhachev next competes, “The Notorious” McGregor returns from his lengthy layoff when he’ll try to get back in the win column against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29, 2024. Should McGregor ever get offered to Makhachev, he wouldn’t decline it no matter how meritocratically illogical it may be.

“People have to be stupid to say no,” Makhachev said on Pound 4 Pound (h/t MMA Junkie). “Of course, I will fight with him.

“This guy not same,” he continued. “I don’t want to, like, make him look bad, but everybody know this guy not same. Before, yeah, for sure. When he was fighting with Khabib [Nurmagomedov], he was in a good shape. He [was] a high-level fighter. But right now, too much alcohol, too much whiskey.”

Makhachev, 32, has expressed his interest in fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York City. If that dream became a reality, Makhachev would fight in November when the promotion visits the iconic arena annually. The champion admits an October Abu Dhabi return is also possible for his second fight of 2024. He added one last note, saying he’d fight sooner than that if UFC happened to offer him McGregor in August or September.

Watch – UFC megastar Conor McGregor offers parenting advice to patrons at his Black Forge Inn pub

Conor McGregor is a multi-millionaire, a movie star, and a former UFC world champion. Now you can add expert…

Conor McGregor is a multi-millionaire, a movie star, and a former UFC world champion. Now you can add expert parent to the list.

While greeting patrons at his pub, The Black Forge Inn in Dublin, Ireland, McGregor showed off his parenting skills by offering up a trick for calming down a crying baby.

“This baby was crying prior to this so I was showing my patrons of @theblackforgeinn that if you hold a baby like this and a gentle rock back and forth the baby will stop crying,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “They tried to say things about how I hold my children throughout the years but I always said ‘Daddy Knows.’”

Conor McGregor and his long-time fiancée Dee Devlin welcomed their first child Conor Jr. in 2017 followed by their daughter Croía. Devlin and McGregor continued to expand their family with the birth of their sons Rían in 2021 and most recently, Mack in 2023.

Conor McGregor has kept busy ahead of his octagon return on June 29

On Saturday, June 29, Conor McGregor will step back into the Octagon for the first time in nearly three years when he headlines UFC 303 in Las Vegas opposite former Bellator MMA champion ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler.

McGregor has not competed since suffering a nasty leg break in the opening round of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. During his time away, McGregor has kept himself plenty busy. Aside from managing his pub and a plethora of other businesses, he made his first appearance on the big screen, playing a role in Amazon Studios’ remake of the 1989 action classic Road House.

The film went on to be a massive hit for the streaming giant, bringing in a record-breaking 50 million viewers in the first two weeks of release. Unsurprisingly, the studio recently announced that a sequel was on the way, but it appears as though McGregor won’t be a part of that particular project.

And, of course, McGregor shocked everyone when he announced that he is now a part owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

LIVE! Jake Paul Vs Mike Tyson Press Conference Video!

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix

Celebrity pugilist Jake Paul will collide with former unified heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a professionally sanctioned boxing match, recently made official for Sat., Ju…

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Boxing Match Press Conference — Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix

Celebrity pugilist Jake Paul will collide with former unified heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a professionally sanctioned boxing match, recently made official for Sat., July 20, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In the Netflix-streamed co-main event, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor rematches unified featherweight titleholder Amanda Serrano.

All four combatants will take the stage on Thursday afternoon (May 16, 2024) for the second “Paul vs. Tyson” press conference, streaming LIVE at 8:30 p.m. ET in the embedded video above from inside Texas Live! sports bar in Arlington. In addition, pre-fight face offs will be conducted at the conclusion of today’s presser in “The Lone Star State.” Considering Tyson’s popularity, don’t expect “The Problem Child” to get a warm welcome from fans.

“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercards,” Paul said. “Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icon. My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time.”

For much more on the upcoming “Paul vs. Tyson” showdown on Netflix click here.

Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘misses’ fighting amid links to huge UFC return amid tax issues

Islam Makhachev knows that Khabib Nurmagomedov misses being in the MMA spotlight. After scoring his third-straight lightweight title defense…

Islam Makhachev knows that Khabib Nurmagomedov misses being in the MMA spotlight.

After scoring his third-straight lightweight title defense against Justin Gaethje in October 2020, ‘The Eagle’ laid down his gold and gloves, announcing that he was officially retiring from the sport following the passing of his coach and father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Since then, it seems like there is a rumor every other week regarding Nurmagomedov’s potential return to collect a 30th career win. Thus far, that has not come to fruition, but the Dagestani’s successor, current 155-pound king Islam Makhachev, revealed that ‘The Eagle’ misses the fight game and still regular trains.

“I think he’s happy, but he misses fighting, fight camp, the fight game,” Makhachev told Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on the Pound 4 Pound podcast That’s why he joins us everywhere,” Makhachev said of Nurmagomedov. “He loves to train, every day he trains. Not just when he’s with us, every day this guy’s training…

“He has a house in the village, a house in the city. Each house has a sauna, swimming pool, everything.”

Could Rumored Tax Troubles bring Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement?

According to friend and former training partner Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly turned down an incredible $40 million offer to make his return to the Octagon. Though neither party disclosed the contract’s details, it would have been one of the biggest deals for a fighter in UFC history.

Recently, rumors have once again popped up suggesting that ‘The Eagle’ could make his way back to MMA after it was alleged that he owes 306 million rubles, or $3.3 million, to the Russian Federal Tax Service.

Nurmagomedov’s team has denied the reports, but if the claim proves to be true, we’re sure Uncle Dana would happily write him a big fat check to try and go 30-0 on MMA’s biggest stage.

‘Baddy’ Bet … Pimblett Opens As Biggest UFC 304 Underdog

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

UFC 304’s main card is set.
UFC CEO, Dana White, surprised fight fans around the globe with the official announcements for the full five-fight UFC 304 pay-per-view (PPV). One of the b…

UFC 296: Ferguson v Pimblett — Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

UFC 304’s main card is set.

UFC CEO, Dana White, surprised fight fans around the globe with the official announcements for the full five-fight UFC 304 pay-per-view (PPV). One of the bouts made official was the return of Liverpool, England’s Lightweight superstar, Paddy Pimblett.

Pimblett, 29, gets his toughest test yet in Top 15-ranked contender, Bobby Green, and the betting odds reflect the faith in “King.” Amongst all competitors, Pimblett opened as the largest underdog on July 27, 2024. Odds per BetOnline.ag (h/t Aaron Bronsteter).

Leon Edwards -225
Belal Muhammad +190
Tom Aspinall -210
Curtis Blaydes +180
Bobby Green -250
Paddy Pimblett +210
Manel Kape -110
Muhammad Mokaev -110
Arnold Allen -175
Giga Chikadze +150

Pimblett’s last fight was his biggest in terms of name value when he battled one-time interim titleholder, Tony Ferguson. The bout was “The Baddy’s” first since the foot injury that kept him out for nearly all of 2023. Ultimately, there were no lingering effects on the Brit as he scored a relatively unsurprising unanimous decision nod over “El Cucuy” at UFC 296 in December 2023.

Ferguson makes for a common opponent between Pimblett and Green. The latter finished Ferguson via third round triangle choke (watch highlights) at in July 2023. Coincidentally, the win came after Green fought to a no contest against Jared Gordon, the same sequence of fights for Pimblett’s previous two outings. Green vs. Gordon was unceremoniously declared a no contest after an accidental head clash (watch highlights).

Green, 37, gets his wish with the fight, as he called out Pimblett after his most recent win, a unanimous decision over Jim Miller, at UFC 300 last month (April 13, 2024).

Islam Makhachev offers to fight Conor McGregor in August showdown: ‘Brother, everyone can finish him’

Already booked to headline UFC 302 in just over two weeks time, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has offered…

Already booked to headline UFC 302 in just over two weeks time, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has offered to fight former duel-weight champion, Conor McGregor as soon as August or September – claiming “everybody” who fights the Dubliner now, could likely finish him before the end of the bout.

Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight titleholder and incumbent pound-for-pound number one fighter on the promotion’s books, is slated to headline UFC 302 next month in a defense against former interim champion, Dustin Poirier in New Jersey.

Islam Makhachev calls for division move after UFC 302 I've already beat everyone at lightweight — Mandatory Credit: Giuseppe Cacece

Sidelined since October of last year, American Kickboxing Academy staple, Makhachev most recently cemented his status as division best with a definitive finish over Alexander Volkanovski, landing a first round high-kick knockout win the pair’s rematch.

For McGregor, the former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion is finally booked to make his return from a gruesome leg injury, headlining UFC 303 at the end of next month in a three-year hiatus-snapping comeback.

2019602226 islam makhachev credit getty 1

Taking on former lightweight title chaser, Michael Chandler, Crumlin striker, McGregor will also return to the welterweight limit for the first time since a 2020 knockout win over Donald Cerrone.

Islam Makhachev again offers to fight Conor McGregor

And forever linked with a title fight defense against McGregor, Makhachev has offered to fight the Dubliner as soon as August if not September, claiming he would easily finish the ex-champion.

Ticket prices described as "criminal" for UFC 303 as Conor McGregor return set to land +$20,000,000 gate — Mandatory Credit: Mike Strobe

“Why you say he (Dustin Poirier) finished Conor (McGregor) twice?” Islam Makhachev said on the Pound4Pound Show. “Brother, everyone can finish Conor – 10 times. Why not, brother? People have to be stupid to say ‘No’. Of course I will fight with him.”

“Brother, when I will fight next?” Islam Makhachev said. “October or November – I can fight August or September with McGregor. Brother, easy. This guy is not (the) same. I don’t want to like, make him feel – like look bad, but everybody knows this guy is not the same. When he was fighting with Khabib (Nurmagomedov) he was in good shape, but right now, it’s too much alcohol and too much whiskey. It’s not [the] same.”