Former UFC two-weight champion recently praised the Irish superstar Conor McGregor despite his devastating loss against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor is one of the most talked about rivalries in the history of the UFC. The fight saw heavy trash talk in the lead-up. Especially McGregor, who is known for his mic abilities, tried to destroy the Russian fighter mentally.
However, ‘The Eagle’ fared well in the bout. He dominated most of the rounds and finally submitted ‘The Notorious’ in the fourth via a neck crank. The fight gained massive numbers and is among the highest PPVs selling bouts in the UFC.
Recently, the former two-weight champion Henry Cejudo talked about it on his YouTube channel while reviewing Nurmagomedov’s UFC career. While sharing his thoughts on the fight, Cejudo asserted that ‘The Eagle’ showed his best performance against a fighter with such high caliber.
“He did a really good job. A little far shot, a little too far away. That just tells you he really respected Conor’s defense. Conor could have got out. But he played the distance a little. When it comes to top control and dominant wrestling right now, I believe Khabib is one of the greatest of all-time,” Cejudo said.
“When it comes to dominating his position, so that fight with Conor McGregor. He did an amazing job of being a competitor in the beginning of the round in catching his distance. He was still able to exhaust McGregor, make him think of a lot of things you know looking down to eventually come up with that right hand. This was the best Khabib did in his career, especially against a guy like Conor McGregor,” Cejudo added.
Why did Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2 never happen?
Due to their history of animosity, Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2 has long been a fan favorite. Many people wished they would fight each other one more time inside the UFC cage.
However, despite the fans’ desire to run it again, the battle never materialized. Mostly because following two more championship defenses under his name, ‘The Eagle’ retired from professional MMA in 2020.
Meanwhile, the Irishman has repeatedly said that he wanted to run it again and even took a dig at Nurmagomedov for retiring early. However, the rematch now will always remain a what-if in the books of MMA.
What are your thoughts on the rivalry? What do you guys think about Cejudo’s words?
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