"This is one of the reasons I don't jump for guillotines" - Israel Adesanya on Conor McGregor's surprise submission attempt at UFC 264
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya weighed in on the main event of UFC 264 between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
The trilogy fight between McGregor and Poirier was, no matter how short, a wild ride. It was an event with the most unexpected scenarios playing out one after another.
One of the most unexpected occurrences in the fight was undoubtedly Conor McGregor's guillotine choke attempt. The Irishman has been extremely vocal about how he believes a stand-up war is a real fight, and grappling is not as respectable as striking. However, he attempted a submission move of his own in his rubber match against Dustin Poirier. Poirier was able to break out of the hold, thereafter executing vicious ground-and-pound on a downed McGregor.
Explaining why he never shoots for guillotine holds in similar scenarios, Israel Adesanya said in a video on his YouTube channel:
"This is one of the reasons I don't jump for guillotines... because you just, if you fail a guillotine, you're on the bottom. That's the problem. And it was tight [Conor Mcgregor's guillotine]. It was tight, but the cage was in the way, so Dustin was able to stop and defend by not letting his leg wrapped up and put him in guard."
Watch the video below:
Israel Adesanya lauds Dustin Poirier for the recovery he made after Conor McGregor's submission attempt
'The Last Stylebender' went on to congratulate Dustin Poirier on making a recovery from Conor McGregor's commendable guillotine attempt and putting the pressure on 'The Notorious'. Adesanya said:
"... and Dustin, f**k. The recovery. There was a point when he was on top and he was just throwing bombs. The pace was good, the pace [with which] he was throwing it [ground-and-pound]. It was bewildering Conor. Although, credit to Conor as well, because, from the bottom, he was throwing shots, throwing elbows. It was crazy."
The first round of the fight between Conor Mcgregor and Dustin Poirier truly did deliver the fireworks that were expected to come out of the fight. Unfortunately, it was right after the fighters got back to their feet after scrapping on the ground that Conor McGregor snapped his lower left tibia.
Even after Conor McGregor fell from the injury, there was still time left on the clock, and Dustin Poirier engaged in ground-and-pound until the buzzer for the round went off. Conor McGregor was able to ward off the onslaught by keeping his hands up and defending against the strikes.
At the end of round one, the fight was called off, and Dustin Poirier won via TKO due to doctor stoppage.