UFC 229 is almost upon us and we will finally see Khabib “Crazy Hat” Nurmagomedov and Conor “Bus Attack” McGregor. We made up those nicknames but we did not make up the fact that Conor McGregor is actually the underdog in their October 6, 2018 clash.
Nurmagomedov -165
McGregor +135
Before Conor left to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr these odds may have been reversed but with the big layoff and Nurmagomedov’s dominant performances they ended up the opposite. Khabib’s wrestling and ground game seem to be a big factor in the oddsmakers crystal balls. Conor will win a stand up war in most minds yet he just can’t seem to get any respect in the grappling arena. Chad Mendes and Nate Diaz “exposed” the Irishman and found him lacking in tie up situations.
Khabib is considered a lesser striker and what most people think Conor’s only chance is catching him with a big left hand. Nurmagomedov will be facing a fighter who can control the distance so well it frustrates his opponents. This means his takedowns might need to start from further away than he is used to allowing McGregor to react with more efficiency.
This fight is being compared to Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell. Striker vs grappler and the reason that the UFC was created, to see which style is the best.
Who do you think will win?