Conor McGregor is back… to betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on UFC PPVs. At UFC 308, “The Notorious” happily gambled, and lost this time, half a million on his former rival Max Holloway and middleweight contender Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker.
It the luck of the Irish, or a deep understanding of the sport, or the sports he bets on, McGregor has a solid betting record. Back in July, he made $3 million in a week gambling on Spain winning the Euro, Argentina winning Copa America, and his former nemesis, Nate Diaz, winning his boxing match against Jorge Masvidal.
However, he failed to hit the bullseye this time around.
All of McGregor’s betting strategies may seem random to the layman. Gambling more often than not, is. In McGregor’s case, there is a method to his madness. Just that that method did not pay off at UFC 308.
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Rightfully nicknamed ‘Mystic Mac’ for predicting his own fights back in the day, the Irishman explained that he expected Holloway to win inside the first half of the fight, while Whittaker would take the W in the second half.
Going by fight logic, the assumption were good. Whittaker’s opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, have a history of not doing well in the championship rounds.
Holloway, on the other hand, is known to be a volume puncher who likes taking fights to their bitter ends. McGregor isn’t particularly a fan of his opponent for the evening, Ilia Topuria. So this bet could be based on emotions.
Nonetheless, the way the fight panned out reiterated the fact that in the Octagon, when things get real, pre-fight logics and the likes get thrown out of the cage. Even for McGregor.
As far as McGregor’s dislike for Topuria is concerned it probably has something to do with how the Spaniard seems like a younger version of the Irishman. He has been presenting himself consistent with how the ‘Notorious’ used to before he put on the boxing gloves against Floyd Mayweather.
Even Holloway agrees with this.
Holloway bashes Topuria for stealing McGregor’s personality
Holloway isn’t holding back when it comes to UFC featherweight champ Topuria and has called him out for trying to be a “copycat” of McGregor.
Ahead of the UFC 308’s main event in Abu Dhabi, the Hawaiian wasn’t fazed by Topuria’s trash talk or bold statements.
“He’s talking about me not wanting to fight, like I’m being forced into it. It’s confusing — feels like he’.s trying to get in my head.”
Topuria claims he’ll take the fight to Holloway within the first 10 seconds. Holloway did not buy it pre-fight.
“He’s trying to steal McGregor’s style — from his tattoos to his attitude.”
He would be a convert now, after getting knocked out in some style
