Conor McGregor expresses regret about his championship reign
Conor McGregor, like every other MMA fan, was awestruck by the performances Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev displayed in the main event of UFC 284. The sold-out RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, roared as Volkanovski finished the bout on top, unleashing ground and pound on the lightweight champion.
MMA analysts and experts anticipated that Volkanovski's size disadvantage would play a significant role in the fight. The Australian fighter put an end to those narratives and demonstrated once more why he was ranked first in the pound-for-pound rankings. However, the Dagastani will most likely take over the No.1 spot now.
Islam Makhachev faced the most difficult challenge of his career but was still able to successfully defend his lightweight title and walk away with a unanimous decision victory.
Despite his longstanding rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov, which has led to McGregor's hostile relationship with Makhachev, the Irishman unexpectedly applauded both fighters for their performances. While the comments marked a dramatic change in his normal hostility towards Makhachev, he also revealed some of the remorse he has about his own championship run.
Conor McGregor was blown away by the Australian crowd that made the event the success that it was. 'The Notorious' wrote on Twitter that while he was a two-division champion, he should have traveled to 'The Land Down Under' to put on a show for Australian fans. McGregor wrote on Twitter:
"That was a great fight last night lads! No loser there just winners. The Ozzie and the Ozzie’s showed out and I fucking loved seeing it! Perth looks fuckin’ tasty too, now I see why so many Irish are there. I should’ve went out, former titles on the line. congrats all at @ufc"
Check out the tweet below:
congrats all at @ufcThat was a great fight last night lads! No loser there just winners. The Ozzie and the Ozzie’s showed out and I fucking loved seeing it! Perth looks fuckin’ tasty too, now I see why so many Irish are there. I should’ve went out, former titles on the line 🌞 congrats all at @ufc
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is confident that Conor McGregor can become a champion again
Conor McGregor hasn't looked his best in recent times. Even more so, the fact that he has lost three of his previous four fights under the UFC banner has contributed to the perception that his peak days are behind him.
Conor McGregor's comeback to the UFC is excellent news for his legion of supporters. In the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), McGregor will serve as a coach against Michael Chandler.
While it remains to be seen whether Conor McGregor can emulate his heyday in the UFC, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is confident that Conor McGregor can become a champion again. Speaking in a recent interview on InsideFighting, O'Neal stated:
“Me and him have a similar type of blood. When you doubt us, that’s when we rise. He took a couple of bumps. He went away for a while… I know he's going to come back with vengeance."
When asked about whether he thinks the Irishman will become a champion again, O'Neal simply added:
“Of course, I know he will.”
Catch Shaquille O’Neal's comments below: