Tag: UFC 223

Conor McGregor’s Team Concerned About Khabib Missing Weight

Heading into next weekend’s (Sat., October 6, 2018) anticipated UFC 229 from Las Vegas, Khabib missing weight is a concern. It’s a valid one, as well. He missed weight for his scheduled interim title fight against Tony Ferguson before March 2017’s UFC 209. The undefeated champion was hospitalized. He required a lengthy recovery period before he […]

The post Conor McGregor’s Team Concerned About Khabib Missing Weight appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Heading into next weekend’s (Sat., October 6, 2018) anticipated UFC 229 from Las Vegas, Khabib missing weight is a concern.

It’s a valid one, as well. He missed weight for his scheduled interim title fight against Tony Ferguson before March 2017’s UFC 209. The undefeated champion was hospitalized. He required a lengthy recovery period before he fought again.

‘The Eagle’ bounced back strong, however, demolishing Edson Barboza at UFC 219 last December. He then dominated Al Iaquinta to win the gold at April’s UFC 223. The win earned him a shot at former champion and archrival Conor McGregor at UFC 229. The match is being touted as the biggest in UFC history. It may just be.

Weight Concerns

But the fight is from a certainty to actually transpire. It could be stated that every fight involving Khabib is somewhat questionable until the cage door closes. McGregor’s striking coach touched on that dynamic on the Eurobash podcast (via MMA Fighting). Roddy said Khabib’s weight is definitely be a concern the week of title match:

“It could be a concern, yeah. It has happened before. Don’t focus on what is out of your control, you can only focus on what you have control over. We don’t know what could happen, anything could happen.”

If the fight were somehow cast aside due to Khabib missing weight, Team McGregor is ready. roddy said they went through a last-minute change when Jose Aldo was hurt only weeks before 2015’s UFC 189. They made it then, and Roddy insists they’ll do the same now as well.

The most important thing was to get McGregor back doing what he does best, and that’s fighting:

“We had that happen with Aldo a couple of years back, we had a last-minute change with Mendes. It didn’t really affect us. We went straight back in, made a couple of minor adjustments, we went in and we done what we needed to do.

“Anything can happen in the fight game, but we can only focus on what we have control over and that’s getting Conor prepared, getting him focused on getting back in the cage and doing what he does best — that’s what we’re focusing on.”

McGregor Improving?

That could be the most difficult task. McGregor has been out of action since his November 2016 win over former champion Eddie Alvarez. His last bout was a TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather in boxing last August.

The Irish megastar is 2-2 in his last four fights overall. Despite that fact, however, Roddy insists McGregor is actually a better fighter than we last saw. He hasn’t fought in MMA in nearly two years, but continues to get better:

“It’s familiar, it’s back to the same kind of feeling as always. He’s always cool, calm and calculated, he’s intelligent when he’s in there — knowing when to throw and when not to throw. It’s like it’s back to normal again.

“Conor has obviously improved with his hands, they’re a lot sharper. His wrestling, his jiu-jitsu too, he hasn’t stopped training. He hasn’t fought, but he hasn’t stopped improving over the past two years since he [last] fought in the Octagon. He’s a far better fighter, but he still has that same mentality. He’s still as sharp as ever, he’s still intelligent in there as always. I’m just excited to see him back in there.”

One of the biggest dynamics of the potentially historic match-up with Khabib is where McGregor truly is at in terms of skillset. He’s facing most likely his toughest test in the undefeated Dagestani grappler.

While Roddy says his hands are improving, it’s his takedown defense that will have to be on point in Vegas. Has McGregor improved enough in that department to stay upright and knock out Khabib?

We’ll find out next weekend.

The post Conor McGregor’s Team Concerned About Khabib Missing Weight appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Dana White Shuts Down Nate Diaz’s ‘Nutty’ 165-Pound Title Fight Talk

Nate Diaz won’t stop campaigning for a shot at the new UFC 165-pound title. The outspoken Stockton slugger recently claimed he was fighting Poirier for the title of the all-new ‘superfighter devision’ earlier this week. The claim was soon shot down by Dana White. But Diaz isn’t giving up. He claims that Poirier isn’t down to […]

The post Dana White Shuts Down Nate Diaz’s ‘Nutty’ 165-Pound Title Fight Talk appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nate Diaz won’t stop campaigning for a shot at the new UFC 165-pound title.

The outspoken Stockton slugger recently claimed he was fighting Poirier for the title of the all-new ‘superfighter devision’ earlier this week. The claim was soon shot down by Dana White.

But Diaz isn’t giving up. He claims that Poirier isn’t down to fight him for the 165-pound belt. He’ll return to the octagon next year as a result, or so he says. Poirier quickly clapped back to say he was one hundred percent down.

White is sticking to his guns. He told TMZ Sports (quotes via MMA Mania) that the whole situation is ‘nutty as hell’ during his latest return. He added that Diaz has been strange since he signed on to fight Poirier:

“I definitely saw that,” said White in a recent interview with TMZ Sports (shown above). “It’s nutty as hell. The guy signed a deal to fight at 155 pounds against Poirier – from the minute the deal was signed and he went out on stage, he’s just been, you know – it’s completely weird. That’s what it is.”

One may believe Diaz is trying to avoid cutting down to 155 pounds to fight Poirier. Either way, “The Diamond” seems ready to fight at any weight.

As for White’s predicament, he doesn’t seem too worried. Diaz signed to fight at UFC 230. The enigmatic fan favorite will have to show up in New York as a result:

“He has to, yeah. The guy signed a deal, tickets went on sale, all this stuff is in motion – you can’t just sign a deal and then do the things he’s doing right now, and not fight. If you look at what he’s doing, I swear to God I had some police officers come in here this afternoon and say ‘Ah man, it sucks, the Diaz fight is off.’ Most people think that the fight isn’t even on because of what he’s doing on social media.”

Apparently, people think the fight is actually off. That would be a huge blow to the card. UFC 230 remains without a main event.

Diaz vs. Poirier for the belt would definitely fit that bill. It’s simply not happening according to White:

“Not only will there not, we did not ever discuss that with him, was never an option, or anything,” said White.

The UFC 165-pound division has been in discussion for quite some time. Many view it as a gap between lightweight and welterweight where fighters can stop cutting weight due to the middle ground.

The post Dana White Shuts Down Nate Diaz’s ‘Nutty’ 165-Pound Title Fight Talk appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Video: Go Inside Khabib’s UFC 229 Training Camp

We shared a video going inside Conor McGregor’s UFC 229 training camp this week. Now it’s time to do the same for Khabib’s UFC 229 training camp. The undefeated UFC lightweight champion is the most dominant force in mixed martial arts right now. Khabib has laid waste to most of his opposition, and the odds […]

The post Video: Go Inside Khabib’s UFC 229 Training Camp appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

We shared a video going inside Conor McGregor’s UFC 229 training camp this week. Now it’s time to do the same for Khabib’s UFC 229 training camp.

The undefeated UFC lightweight champion is the most dominant force in mixed martial arts right now. Khabib has laid waste to most of his opposition, and the odds state he’ll do the same to McGregor when they finally do battle.

He could face his most dangerous test when he meets McGregor in the main event of next Saturday night’s (October 6, 2018) UFC 229 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, nonetheless.

It’s definitely the biggest and most lucrative of his burgeoning fight career. There’s been little mainstream promotion for a fight of this magnitude it seems. But Khabib is focused on doing what he does best inside the cage no matter what.

Because of the hype involved, Khabib recently released a video with an inside look at his training camp at California’s American Kickboxing Academy. There, he continues to sharpen his peerless MMA wrestling skills with decorated UFC fighters like Luke Rockhold. Watch the first episode of his UFC 229 training camp focus right here:

The post Video: Go Inside Khabib’s UFC 229 Training Camp appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Khabib’s Father Not Allowed To Enter U.S. For UFC 229

Khabib’s father will unfortunately not be watching his son compete at UFC 229 next Saturday. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was actively campaigning for a United States visa so he could attend his son’s title fight with Conor McGregor in Las Vegas next weekend. An appeal to U.S President Donald Trump on social media apparently failed. The required […]

The post Khabib’s Father Not Allowed To Enter U.S. For UFC 229 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Khabib’s father will unfortunately not be watching his son compete at UFC 229 next Saturday.

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was actively campaigning for a United States visa so he could attend his son’s title fight with Conor McGregor in Las Vegas next weekend. An appeal to U.S President Donald Trump on social media apparently failed.

The required visa will not be granted to Nurmagomedov. The report was first broken by RT.com. Khabib’s management confirmed the report to MMA Fighting.

The UFC lightweight champion recently discussed his father’s attempt to get into the United States at last week’s UFC 229 presser. Khabib said he was trying but efforts were proving difficult. Khabib’s father was required to provide additional information.

He is apparently unable to do so. That will render his effort to obtain the visa futile based on the short timeframe.

Addulmanap is crucial to the overall gameplan for the fight. He’s repeatedly provided input into all of his son’s fights. Khabib will move forward without his services. It’s bad timing. UFC 229 is undoubtedly the biggest fight of his career.

Khabib is undefeated. He’s arguably facing his toughest test. The same is true for the Irish superstar. ‘The Notorious’ is also in for the toughest test of his career. UFC 229 is an event unique in that regard.

‘The Eagle” is favored to win. Will the absence of his father hinder Khabib’s chances as a result?

The post Khabib’s Father Not Allowed To Enter U.S. For UFC 229 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Ben Askren Destroys Nate Diaz Amidst UFC 165-Pound Hype

It’s apparently time Ben Askren destroys Nate Diaz. Askren is currently retired. But that won’t stop him from offering his opinion on the buzzing discussion about a new UFC 165-pound division. Normal lightweights Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier have been going back-and-forth on social media trying to get the UFC to finally create the often-rumored […]

The post Ben Askren Destroys Nate Diaz Amidst UFC 165-Pound Hype appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

It’s apparently time Ben Askren destroys Nate Diaz.

Askren is currently retired. But that won’t stop him from offering his opinion on the buzzing discussion about a new UFC 165-pound division. Normal lightweights Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier have been going back-and-forth on social media trying to get the UFC to finally create the often-rumored division.

While the UFC isn’t biting as of yet, Diaz has kept the pressure high to get the ball rolling at 165. He even issued them a classic Diaz “don’t be scared” tweet.

“Funky” Fires Back

Askren seemingly couldn’t take the jawing. The undefeated welterweight tweeted a seething response to Diaz’ claim, trashing his record, wrestling skill, and physical appearance:

“Nothing about you is very scary. Arms the size of a noodle, takedown defense like a middle schooler and very amateur smack talk. I highly doubt anyone is scared of someone who is 6-6 in his last 12.”

Askren’s Stats

Askren was then reminded that Diaz had never pulled out of a fight whether he was injured or not. “Funky” clapped back that he never had either, but also had a long list of other accomplishments to top Diaz:

“Meh. Never pulled out, never missed weight, never failed a drug test, never lost. Now we are talking”

Askren makes a point there, yet it’s a bit unsatisfying at the core. The dominant wrestler was a champion. He also retired on top without a loss, which is something few if any MMA fighters can truly claim.

However, he never fought in the UFC despite long-running discussions to do so. A Diaz fight may never have materialized regardless. Askren’s smothering style has long been a turnoff to fans due to his perceived “boring” in-cage presence. It’s a bit overexaggerated, however.

Diaz will finally return to action at November 3’s UFC 230 from New York. He’s teased that he won’t be available to fight on the card. If that’s true, he’s looking in excellent physical shape to not be fighting. Diaz is a top-level draw in the UFC and would likely lap Askren in terms of attention no matter the records.

Askren retired last year as well. That makes his callout bittersweet because we’ll most likely never see them fight. Was “Funky” right to blast Diaz, or is it a moot point?

The post Ben Askren Destroys Nate Diaz Amidst UFC 165-Pound Hype appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nate Diaz Claims Dustin Poirier Won’t Fight Him At 165 Pounds

Nate Diaz claims Dustin Poirier isn’t down to fight him at 165 pounds. The returning Diaz recently boasted on social media that he was fighting Poirier in the new 165-pound “superfighter devision” at November 3’s UFC 230. Poirier quickly wrote back and said he had earned his first UFC title shot. But UFC President Dana White […]

The post Nate Diaz Claims Dustin Poirier Won’t Fight Him At 165 Pounds appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nate Diaz claims Dustin Poirier isn’t down to fight him at 165 pounds.

The returning Diaz recently boasted on social media that he was fighting Poirier in the new 165-pound “superfighter devision” at November 3’s UFC 230. Poirier quickly wrote back and said he had earned his first UFC title shot.

But UFC President Dana White was quick to debunk those notions. White said the creation of an oft-discussed 165-pound division “was the farthest thing from the truth.” You can probably take those words with a grain of salt. Regardless, Diaz will still make his long-awaited return against Poirier at UFC 230 from Manhattan. He appears to be in excellent physical shape as he prepares to finally fight again.

Or so we thought.

Diaz recently tweeted that Poirier was no longer down to fight him at 165 pounds, so he would see his fans next year:

‘The Diamond’ wasn’t having any of that, however, quickly replying that he was ‘100 percent down’:

Diaz kept the pressure on the UFC to make the 165 division later on in the night:

Poirier is rarely one to back down from a fight. He’s been on an absolute tear ever since he ditched the draining weight cut to featherweight and is on the cusp of a 155-pound title shot.

Both he and Diaz are lobbying hard for a 165-pound title bout at UFC 230. It doesn’t appear to be in the UFC’s plans, at least for the time being.

Should it be?

The post Nate Diaz Claims Dustin Poirier Won’t Fight Him At 165 Pounds appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.