Tag: Manny Pacquiao

Justin Gaethje Reveals Conor McGregor’s Real Punishment For Brooklyn Bus Melee

Following the most chaotic week in UFC history heading into UFC 223 last week, the lightweight division was finally given a bit of clarity (a bit) when Khabib Nurmagomedov won the title over late replacement Al Iaquinta – his fifth possible opponent in a month. That’s assuming that the oft-injured Nurmagomedov will defend the title […]

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Following the most chaotic week in UFC history heading into UFC 223 last week, the lightweight division was finally given a bit of clarity (a bit) when Khabib Nurmagomedov won the title over late replacement Al Iaquinta – his fifth possible opponent in a month.

That’s assuming that the oft-injured Nurmagomedov will defend the title somewhat regularly. Currently, he has strung together two dominant wins in relatively short order, with his victory over Iaquinta coming not even four months after his destruction of Edson Barboza at December 30’s UFC 219.

However, following Conor McGregor’s Brooklyn chaotic, violent outburst where he attacked ‘The Eagle’s’ bus with a metal dolly and was subsequently arrested on assault charges, it would seem a foregone conclusion that Khabib and McGregor square off in a grudge match sure to gain massive numbers in the pay-per-view arena. That would leave the lightweight division’s future once again on the shoulders of McGregor, who faces a court date and has seemed more interested in going off the rails than actually fighting as of late.

Yet that doesn’t seem to concern fan favorite lightweight Justin Gaethje, who squares off with Dustin Poirier in the main event of this weekend’s (Sat., April 14, 2018) UFC on FOX 29 from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. During a recent pre-fight interview following the UFC on FOX 29 open workouts via MMA Fighting, ‘The Highlight’ said he thinks there’s is now a ‘more clear path’ to the top at 155 pounds:

“There is a more clear path, even though Khabib says he wants to go fight GSP, which is counterproductive to everything he talked sh*t to Conor about, or talked sh*t on Conor about. But other than that, yeah, it doesn’t matter. Tony (Ferguson), the winner of [Kevin Lee] and (Edson) Barboza [could be next in line for me], but it doesn’t matter — I’ve got to get past Poirier, who’s a very dangerous opponent, and I’d be a fool to look past him.”

As for McGregor, Gaethje said he hoped a scene such as the bus attack would never happen again, but wasn’t surprised considering he believes fighters may fight each other if put in close proximity to one another:

“There’s nothing really you can make of that. It’s crazy circumstances that we hope will never happen again, but you put a bunch of fighters in an arena and someone might fight each other.

“Conor’s going to get punished by paying millions of dollars to people, so that’s plenty of punishment. And I don’t want him to go anywhere, because like I said, I’m going to fight and claw my way to the championship. So either he’s there or Khabib’s there, it doesn’t matter.”

So while Dana White may have said McGregor’s attack was ‘the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen in the UFC,’ it seems his stance has predictably softened on his biggest star (huge surprise), and that became somewhat clear when the UFC essentially used the situation as promotion.

That suggests McGregor won’t be punished by the UFC even if he should be, but Gaethje is right in assuming that the most costly portion of the fallout will result from the lawsuits levied as the infamous Irishman by the injured parties.

How much last Thursday’s attack cost McGregor, and does he even care at this point?

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Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor Betting Odds Released

Undefeated smashing machine Khabib Nurmagomedov is now the UFC lightweight champion after dominating a tough-as-nails Al Iaquinta at last weekend’s UFC 223, and he could (should) be headed for one of the biggest fights in MMA history. That bout is an obvious showdown with former two-division champion Conor McGregor, who sent the hype for the […]

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Undefeated smashing machine Khabib Nurmagomedov is now the UFC lightweight champion after dominating a tough-as-nails Al Iaquinta at last weekend’s UFC 223, and he could (should) be headed for one of the biggest fights in MMA history.

That bout is an obvious showdown with former two-division champion Conor McGregor, who sent the hype for the anticipated fight into the stratosphere by throwing a metal dolly through a bus Khabib was riding after UFC 223 media day last Thursday.

If a monstrous “Eagle” vs. “Notorious” does somehow happen one day, it’s the Russian wrestling prodigy who would be favored to win. According to the odds from ‘The Oddessa Line’ (via MMA Junkie), Khabib has opened as a -165 favorite over the +135 McGregor.

It’s hardly a surprise to see Nurmagomedov open as the favorite because he’s undefeated and the hype is on him right now after he put some lopsided scores across the board on short-notice replacement Al Iaquinta. Many, including those swayed by Joe Rogan’s harsh criticism of Nurmagomedov’s striking, think that he could easily be defeated even though he peppered talented boxer Iaquinta’s face with sharp jabs and outstruck him by a gross margin.

Khabib does hold his chin a bit high when striking, that much is definitely true, and if anyone could hit him with a knockout shot it would be the power-punching McGregor.

However, we haven’t seen ‘The Notorious’ since his second-round TKO win over Eddie Alvarez in the main event of November 2016’s UFC 205, and he’s mainly been in the news for his over-the-top and now, illegal out-of-the-cage antics since his reported $100 million purse to box Floyd Mayweather last August.

A rematch between the Irish megastar and ‘Money’ has been rumored for the octagon, and with McGregor facing assault charges in New York for the incident last week, his UFC return is uncertain for 2018 – and perhaps ever.

You’d have to think he’ll return at some point, however. Will it be as an underdog against Khabib or as a massive favorite against Mayweather?

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Bruce Buffer Says Conor McGregor ‘S*it On All Of Us’ With Brooklyn Outburst

By now, Conor McGregor’s actions that took place last Thursday following UFC 223 media day at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York have been highly publicized and many have been highly critical of the Irish star, who ended up spending a night in jail late last week. One of those people happens to be […]

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By now, Conor McGregor’s actions that took place last Thursday following UFC 223 media day at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York have been highly publicized and many have been highly critical of the Irish star, who ended up spending a night in jail late last week.

One of those people happens to be longtime UFC announcer Bruce Buffer, who recently spoke with TMZ on McGregor’s bizarre rampage:

“Never think anything like this could ever happen,” Buffer said. “In my 22-plus years of being in the UFC and doing everything I can in my life to build this great brand and to support this fantastic sport … it’s like you sh*t on all of us – with that one move. That’s not what we’re about. Perception is reality out there. I don’t understand how anybody could condone that kind of behavior, and if they do, then obviously they will be willing to do that kind of behavior.”

Essentially, it’s assumed that McGregor arrived in New York to confront Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had gotten into a bit of an altercation with Artem Lobov, a close friend and training partner of McGregor’s, earlier in the week.

And while some have praised McGregor for defending Lobov, Buffer sees no justification for the “Notorious” one’s actions:

“As a whole, everyone has their own personal reaction, but I think it’s total disgust,” Buffer said.

“I don’t care who they are. Anybody that justifies that has a problem,” he added. “I could say something else right now, and I want to say it, but I’m telling you right now: They have a problem. I’m being very polite.

“We’ll see how it all pans out,” Buffer said. “There’s no excuse for it. It’s an insult. It’s disgusting. I mean, that’s not what we’re about. … This is something that occurred with one individual. It’s separate from who we are.”

As far as what happens next, McGregor will have to appear in court in June with his fighting future currently unclear.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Says Conor McGregor Now Has To ‘Beg’ Him For Title Shot

Undefeated Dagestani phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov finally fulfilled the massive potential that had been heaped upon him since he joined the UFC by defeating Al Iaquinta (watch highlights here) for the lightweight title in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. But it obviously […]

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Undefeated Dagestani phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov finally fulfilled the massive potential that had been heaped upon him since he joined the UFC by defeating Al Iaquinta (watch highlights here) for the lightweight title in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

But it obviously wasn’t without the most chaotic build-up to a UFC title fight ever, beginning when his oft-scheduled original opponent was forced out with a knee injury, continuing when former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor threw a metal handcart through the window of a bus he was riding, injuring at least two people and striking three fights off UFC 223, and finally ending with a dominant performance over Iaquinta, his fifth prospective opponent after Ferguson’s original replacement Max Holloway was deemed unfit to compete.

Yes, it was that kind of week, and yet Khabib still persevered to win the lightweight title even though some, including a noxious, overblown version of octagon commentator Joe Rogan, felt his striking was absolutely abhorrent as he peppered Iaquinta – a fighter known for his boxing skills – with nonstop jabs to the point that ‘Ragin’ Al’s’ face was bloodied badly. True, he has some striking deficiencies to shore up after a lifetime of perfecting his dominant grappling skills, but at the end of the day, there’s little doubt that ‘The Eagle’ is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA.

That has the mixed martial arts world awaiting his potential match-up with McGregor, and even though Khabib called out the legendary Georges St-Pierre in two post-fight interviews – a bout GSP quickly rebuffed – he’ll have the specter of the infamous Irishman hanging over his head until they meet. Case in point, Khabib was obviously asked about his mega-famous foil at the post-fight presser, the surging future star said he has to settle his rivalry with ‘The Notorious’ at some point:

“We have to finish this beef, chicken or something like this. He have to stop eating Burger Kings. You want to fight? Come. I told you guys, I’m going to make him humble. I’m going to change his game.

“Now only one champion.

“No more fake champions, no more champion who never defend his title or something like this. Now UFC has champion, and this champion wants to defend his title. You want to fight? Come here. Inside the cage? Come. Outside the cage? Come. Let me know without camera, without like all this media.”

Apparently, McGregor’s made it personal with his all-out assault that left him incarcerated in handcuffs and facing serious charges because he’s willing to settle the long-standing rivalry inside of the cage or outside of it.

But he knows that a legitimate main event versus the Irishman would be huge for all parties, especially with the necessary time to promote it sufficiently, so he’s also aiming for a World Tour the likes of which McGregor went on with Jose Aldo in 2015.

However, he’s now the champ, and he turned the tables on McGregor by saying it was “The Notorious” who now had to beg him to get a title shot :

“I hope he’s going to fight – we have to fight. Like make World Tour. Everywhere, like Tokyo, Moscow, Dublin, Los Angeles, Rio. Big world tour, promote this fight and fight end of year, biggest arena in the world. Madison Square Garden. … I’m here. He want to become lightweight champion? He have to fight with me. No more all these fake champions.

“You guys remember when he put tweet, ‘Beg me.’ Please beg me.”

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Khabib Calls Out Georges St-Pierre After UFC 223 Title Win

Khabib Nurmagomedov finally became the UFC lightweight champion by dominating a tough Al Iaquinta (watch full highlights here) in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The bout was the culmination of years of hype surrounding the undefeated “Eagle,” whom many believed would […]

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Khabib Nurmagomedov finally became the UFC lightweight champion by dominating a tough Al Iaquinta (watch full highlights here) in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The bout was the culmination of years of hype surrounding the undefeated “Eagle,” whom many believed would have been champ sooner were it not for his long list of injuries suffered in training, and it was also the culmination of a week full of insanity after Khabib was tasked with literally five potential opponents beginning with longtime rival Tony Ferguson and ending with ‘Ragin’ Al.’

But all is well for the 26-0 Dagestani grappling machine, as he now owns the only 155-pound belt in the world’s biggest MMA promotion and will be headed for a massive fight no matter which direction he goes. Most will want him to face former champion Conor McGregor, with whom he has a monstrous beef bubbling over after their now-infamous run-in this week where McGregor threw a metal dolly through a bus window and was incarcerated on assault charges.

Yet while the fight could legitimately be one of the biggest fights in UFC history, Khabib chose a different route when asked whom he wanted to face next by Karyn Bryant on the UFC 223 post-fight show on FOX Sports 1, calling out legendary former middleweight and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in the most respectful way possible:

“To be honest, if they ask me, I wanna take Georges St-Pierre. St-Pierre is greatest athlete to compete in UFC. When I grow up, I watch his fight. When he defend his title in UFC like 10, 11 years ago, I compete in junior Dagestan championship in Combat Sambo.

“You know, can you imagine this? Now we’re here, and we can fight. It’s like crazy. 10, 11 years ago when I was like 19, 18 as a kid, when I watch his fight when I was like his very biggest fan. Now, he talk about how he wanna become UFC lightweight champion; before he was UFC middleweight and welterweight champion. Why not? If he can make, let’s go in New York.”

Now that McGregor’s fighting – and overall – future is uncertain at best, Khabib may be free to fight St-Pierre rather than ‘The Notorious’ when he returns to the cage later this year in November.

“Rush” has stated he can make lightweight, but he’s still recovering from a bout with colitis after the increased food intake he consumed to keep on the mass necessary to fight at middleweight, where he returned to after nearly four years off and choked out Michael Bisping to win the title before vacating the gold hardly a month later.

You’d have to think if St-Pierre was going to put himself through the opposite and cut all the way down to lightweight, it would have been for a fight with the UFC’s biggest star in McGregor.

A match-up with Khabib, however, could start to look like more of an enticing prospect for the all-time legend who has said he only wants the biggest and the best fights.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta Full Fight Video Highlights

Following the craziest week in MMA history, undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov finally met Al Iaquinta – his fifth possible opponent in under a week’s time – in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. And the 26-0 Dagestani showed why he is the […]

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Following the craziest week in MMA history, undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov finally met Al Iaquinta – his fifth possible opponent in under a week’s time – in the main event of last night’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

And the 26-0 Dagestani showed why he is the most dominant grappling force in MMA by dominating Iaquinta over five full rounds, although it wasn’t without some resistance from a tough ‘Ragin’ Al.’

The fight began according to Khabib’s expected gameplan, with “The Eagle’ grounding Iaquinta before he got back up:


In the second round, Khabib ground Iaquinta again and began raining down punches, but ‘Ragin’ Al’ was able to survive the round:


The fight wasn’t without a few moments from Iaquinta as well, as he nailed ‘The Eagle’ with some big punches in the third round:


And although his wrestling was working in the early rounds, Nurmagomedov seemed to be content to stand and trade in the later rounds:


Finally, Khabib locked up the UFC lightweight title after taking Iaquinta’s back in the fifth yet again:

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