"It's like fantasy movie" - Rafael Fiziev compares Conor McGregor's axe kick suggestion to 'Interstellar'
Conor McGregor recently responded to a video of Rafael Fiziev leaning away from a high roundhouse kick. 'The Notorious' said that the fighter's defensive maneuver wouldn't have worked if his opponent came down on him with an axe-kick.
This is awesome. Change the roundhouse to an axe kick. Roundhouse into and axe kick and this defense eats the full of the heel.
I’m telling you. If their reaction to a high kick is this, implement the axe. twitter.com/alexbehunin/st…
Fiziev recently responded to McGregor's comments on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. The No.10-ranked UFC lightweight compared the Irishman's axe kick suggestion to the fantasy movie Interstellar:
"You see movie Interstellar?... It's like Interstellar bro, its like a fantasy movie."
The 29-year-old stated that it was impossible to change a high kick to an axe-kick mid-way. The fighter further explained that one would need a two-meter-long leg to successfully execute the kick switch that Conor McGregor suggested.
Watch the full interview below:
Apart from being a successful mixed martial artist, Rafael Fiziev is also an accomplished Muay Thai fighter, holding a professional record of 29 wins against 4 losses.
McGregor and Fiziev also had a long war of words on Twitter regarding McGregor's axe-kick suggestion.
Conor McGregor and Rafael Fiziev axe-kick Twitter feud
After Conor McGregor suggested on Twitter that an axe-kick would have negated Rafael Fiziev's defensive maneuver against high kicks, the 29-year-old UFC lightweight responded to 'The Notorious' saying:
"Conor, I invite you to @tigermuaythai where we can show you how to kick and defend the kicks properly so you can stop living in fantasy world where you think it’s possible to land an axe kick in this situation."
Conor, I invite you to @tigermuaythai where we can show you how to kick and defend the kicks properly so you can stop living in fantasy world where you think it’s possible to land an axe kick in this situation twitter.com/thenotoriousmm…
'The Notorious' was quick to respond to Fiziev's criticism by saying that he himself has faced this type of defense before. McGregor stated that once he started using axe-kicks, he was able to penetrate such defensive tactics.
@RafaelFiziev @tigermuaythai I’m not disrespecting. I’m telling you, I’ve faced this defense habit a lot in my time where I knew every high kick I threw was being pulled back from and hitting air. I then began changing to an axe kick and came down on top with great success. That or the running roundhouse.
The Irishman also added that it was Fiziev who was living a fantasy thinking that his defense was impenetrable. McGregor also posted a video of a fighter finishing his foe with an axe-kick to prove his point.
@RafaelFiziev @tigermuaythai “Fantasy world” is thinking that this major defensive habit you have developed is impenetrable. It is, very much so penetrable. Habits are opportunities to set traps. Good luck.
@RafaelFiziev @tigermuaythai https://t.co/RZ0oTPCd9P
McGregor, in a later post, accepted the Azerbaijani's offer to train with him in Thailand.
@RafaelFiziev @tigermuaythai Thank you for the offer. When I am in Thailand I will head here for sure! Don’t disrespect you are yet to do anything significant in this sport. Good luck in your upcoming fight.
But after Fiziev suggested that training together would benefit both men, things turned sour again. In a subsequent post, McGregor rejected the 29-year-old's training offer in a frantic rant post, saying that Fiziev was a nobody.
@TheNotoriousMMA @tigermuaythai No disrespect meant either, training together will be beneficial for both of us. Trust me it will be much better camp than you had in Dubai before.
@RafaelFiziev @tigermuaythai No bother pal, sound. Think of me as tiger woods with a 12 iron and your nose as the golf ball. And think of me sprinting for it with a running switch kick and fuck your little bend back. You little bend back nobody bitch. Oh you bend over, wow, that’s awesome. Congrats pal haha