The MMA thread

I wonder whose side insisted on it being at Welterweight. If McGregor is thinking that he beats Cowboy and then lines up a fight with Masvidal then he's a fecking idiot.
 
Yeah I hope he beats Cowboy just so we get to see Masvidal take him apart.

Really? Cowboy seems like a genuinely nice guy, while McCnuty hits old people in bars, and you want Conor to win?

Looks like a last big payday for Cowboy.
 
Cowboy will choke as per usual. And he's a slow starter, which could be a big mistake against McGregor.

Bit harsh to call it a choke if he loses, not like he's expected to win. Stylistically it's a relatively easy fight for Conor.

Nice to see Cowboy get a big pay day though.
 
Really? Cowboy seems like a genuinely nice guy, while McCnuty hits old people in bars, and you want Conor to win?

Looks like a last big payday for Cowboy.

I just think Masvidal will inflict a much more severe beating on him.
 
I just think Masvidal will inflict a much more severe beating on him.
Really? They look almost identical to me. Size will play a factor but Conor standing with no risk of a takedown is a match for anybody.
I feel Conor felt he had to fight Khabib but I dont see him taking the Masvidal fight if he doesn't see a way to win.
Its not as if Jorge is unbeatable. Far from it.
 
Really? They look almost identical to me. Size will play a factor but Conor standing with no risk of a takedown is a match for anybody.
I feel Conor felt he had to fight Khabib but I dont see him taking the Masvidal fight if he doesn't see a way to win.
Its not as if Jorge is unbeatable. Far from it.
I think he is unbeatable for a fighter like McGregor. Only way McGregor beats him is by KO and Masvidal has never been KO'd. He would just completely outpoint McGregor with sheer volume otherwise, imo.
 
I think he is unbeatable for a fighter like McGregor. Only way McGregor beats him is by KO and Masvidal has never been KO'd. He would just completely outpoint McGregor with sheer volume otherwise, imo.
Jorge is the losing split decision king though.
Masvidal will be favourite but if he starts losing on the feet I cant see how he would turn it around. Same goes the other way. The first 2 rounds would tell us who wins
 
Nice of Dana to give Conor an easy fight against someone who has lost their last two and 6 of his past 10.
 
Nice of Dana to give Conor an easy fight against someone who has lost their last two and 6 of his past 10.

Yet Nate Diaz would be a super tough fight and he's lost 2 of his last 3 fights, and 5 of his last 10. UFC like many probably suspect Conor as a top fighter is finished. This fight gives him a chance against a well known fighter to maybe look good again, in the hope that they might be able to squeeze one last super fight out of conor. I wouldn't be too quick to write of Cerrone either. As much as Cerrone stylistically suits McGregor, the same could be said in return, both men like to stand and bang, and he has more experience at this weight class. His recent losses have all been to legit title contender fighters, and that's where he typically falls short. Masvidal, Edwards, Gaethje are all genuine contenders for a title shot and of course Ferguson is one in his next fight. This is a warm up fight for Conor, to see if he still has it.
 
Yet Nate Diaz would be a super tough fight and he's lost 2 of his last 3 fights, and 5 of his last 10. UFC like many probably suspect Conor as a top fighter is finished. This fight gives him a chance against a well known fighter to maybe look good again, in the hope that they might be able to squeeze one last super fight out of conor. I wouldn't be too quick to write of Cerrone either. As much as Cerrone stylistically suits McGregor, the same could be said in return, both men like to stand and bang, and he has more experience at this weight class. His recent losses have all been to legit title contender fighters, and that's where he typically falls short. Masvidal, Edwards, Gaethje are all genuine contenders for a title shot and of course Ferguson is one in his next fight. This is a warm up fight for Conor, to see if he still has it.

Agreed. Its clearly an attempt to rehabilitate him, since another loss would render his marketability in subsequent fights to be significantly lower than in the past.
 
Really? Cowboy seems like a genuinely nice guy, while McCnuty hits old people in bars, and you want Conor to win?

Looks like a last big payday for Cowboy.

He's always seemed a bit of a wanker to me to be honest, far from a nice guy. On the Joe Rogan podcast he was happily admitting to feeling up women in front of their boyfriends when they meet him as they can't really do much about it for example.

Bit harsh to call it a choke if he loses, not like he's expected to win. Stylistically it's a relatively easy fight for Conor.

Nice to see Cowboy get a big pay day though.

He is a massive choker in fairness, any big fight he loses.

I think McGregor beats him easily, not really that arsed it's a tune up fight whatever sometimes fighters need them and Cowboy is a big enough name to give it some credibility if/when McGregor wins.
 
Why are two lightweights fighting at 170? Makes no sense. Good to see Conor back still. Hopefully he's fully fit and motivated.
 
Hmm, it's an interesting fight at ww since Cowboy is more natural and experienced at that weight but he's been on the wane and I think Conor should have enough to beat him. Happy for him though, he gets a big money fight.


If he gets past Cerrone I'd rather see a 3rd fight with Diaz than Masvidal.
 
Agreed. Its clearly an attempt to rehabilitate him, since another loss would render his marketability in subsequent fights to be significantly lower than in the past.
Its the best move. He cant keep coming back facing champion killers, he needs tune up fights to just be a fighter again.
 
I wonder what the end game here is. UFC hope Conor looks good and then match him with Masvidal? Another huge match up with no title at stake. Maybe Diaz 3? Just not sure why he's fighting at 170. I don't think it's a good weight class for him. Essentially they have 2 x 155 lb fighters moving up to fight each other. I feel lightweight is a better weight for both fighters even though both esp Cerrone have fought there in the past.
 
Bit harsh to call it a choke if he loses, not like he's expected to win. Stylistically it's a relatively easy fight for Conor.

Nice to see Cowboy get a big pay day though.
It's more to do with his big profile matches. His run to the title shots for example make him feel unbeatable. Then when he gets to the title fight, he just freezes.
 
They probably couldn’t be arsed watching their weight over Christmas.
 
I wonder what the end game here is. UFC hope Conor looks good and then match him with Masvidal? Another huge match up with no title at stake. Maybe Diaz 3? Just not sure why he's fighting at 170. I don't think it's a good weight class for him. Essentially they have 2 x 155 lb fighters moving up to fight each other. I feel lightweight is a better weight for both fighters even though both esp Cerrone have fought there in the past.

Aye, signing for a fight at 170 doesn't really bode well for Conor's seriousness or preparation for this comeback imo.
 
Chael Sonnen made a good point that Mcgregor only knocks people out and does he have the punching power to knock out Cowboy

I Personally dont think so
 
McGregor beating Cerrone is far from a given even if this is supposed to be a tune up.

He *had* no gas tank, even in his prime; hasn't fought for an age; abused his body with drink and drugs, which will further reduce his ability to take a fight into deep water and his strike volume is always low because he is reliant on K.O.

Cerrone is his own worst enemy and the likelihood of him choking in the spotlight, once again, is high, but it's no forgone conclusion that McGregor takes the fight. As far as tune ups go, it's a bold option to take.
 
How do you guys see the Overeem-Jairzinho matchup playing out ? Other than the clear option of Jairzinho knocking him out in first round, can see Overeem keeping distance and picking the guy apart with leg kicks. The wild card is Overeem taking the fight to the ground.
 
Also, any early predictions for Colby-Usman ? I can't see a finish on that one. Almost sure to go the distance.
 
McGregor beating Cerrone is far from a given even if this is supposed to be a tune up.

He *had* no gas tank, even in his prime; hasn't fought for an age; abused his body with drink and drugs, which will further reduce his ability to take a fight into deep water and his strike volume is always low because he is reliant on K.O.

Cerrone is his own worst enemy and the likelihood of him choking in the spotlight, once again, is high, but it's no forgone conclusion that McGregor takes the fight. As far as tune ups go, it's a bold option to take.
His last fight was Oct 2018, hardly "ages" in MMA. That said, I also think it's far from a given that he wins this in a straightforward way like many seem to think he will.
 
Also, any early predictions for Colby-Usman ? I can't see a finish on that one. Almost sure to go the distance.

Colby will win I reckon unfortunately, just got we're destined to put up with his shit forever. Then he'll probably do a McGregor and demand money fights/not defend the belt. Before getting stripped cos no one is really that arsed about him.
 
His last fight was Oct 2018, hardly "ages" in MMA. That said, I also think it's far from a given that he wins this in a straightforward way like many seem to think he will.
With the lifestyle Conor has led, it's got to be like dog years! Put it this way, I'd be more surprised if he comes back identical to the fighter he last fought as than not.
 
southpaws cause issues for Cerrone, always has. Cerrone can also be a slow starter. Be interesting to see condition Conor is in. Does he come in conditioned like he was v Diaz 2, where he outworked a cardio machine like Diaz in last round. You'd think probably not, due to inactivity,age, moving up in weight class and how he's abused his body in recent times. Does he trust himself to go for Cerrone in earlier rounds and knock him. Will his power transfer, it didn't v Diaz, he caught him with great shots in 1st fight but couldn't put him away, hence the more disclipined version we seen in diaz 2.Does Cerrone take him down, where he has an advantage. Be interesting as well Cerrones mindset, he got tanked by Ferguson, I personally think he wanted out of that fight, others will disagree. It was a bit like Conor v Khabib, neither landed their trademarks hits and got well beat. Of course Cerrone also got stopped last fight by Gaethje where he looked a bit lost. He stood in front of Gathje and got picked off with punches and kicks.He's 36 now, those tough fights he's been in can catch up on you. I'd take prime Conor to knock him early, but we haven't seen a prime conor, certainly not in his last fight and I don't think we ever will again. Tough one to call.I still say Conor though.
 
Colby will win I reckon unfortunately, just got we're destined to put up with his shit forever. Then he'll probably do a McGregor and demand money fights/not defend the belt. Before getting stripped cos no one is really that arsed about him.

Well he HAD to create that personality. UFC told him before his fight with Maia that even if he won he would be cut, so that's why he has been acting like crazy since then.
 
Well he HAD to create that personality. UFC told him before his fight with Maia that even if he won he would be cut, so that's why he has been acting like crazy since then.

He was acting crazy since before then to be honest. Guys just a bit of a cnut really