This is the one skill that makes Conor McGregor the 'Muhammad Ali of the UFC'
Conor McGregor's boxing coach, Phil Sutcliffe, believes the Irishman is the Muhammad Ali of MMA.
McGregor is known for his striking, as he is considered to be one of the best boxers in the sport. However, for Sutcliffe, he says McGregor's ability to see the punches coming is what makes him like Ali.
"I tell most of our boxers, learn how to read, learn how to see the shots coming. He has that with fine art," Sutcliffe said to The Mac Life. "He's the Muhammad Ali of the UFC."
When asked if this is something he was born with or had to work on, Sutcliffe believes it is a bit of both. The coach is amazed at how much work McGregor puts in day in and day out, though.
"It's a bit of both. He always had the ability to not get hit and reading the punches even as a child. He is able to move his head, bob, weave, and the work ethic of him is unbelievable," Stucliffe said. "The amount of work he puts in, he didn't become Conor McGregor easy. The amount of work he had to put in between his wrestling, his judo, his karate, his fighting force in the ring and his boxing skills."
Conor McGregor's next fight
Conor McGregor is set to headline UFC 257 against Dustin Poirier. It is a rematch six-and-a-half years in the making. The two first met in September 2014 when McGregor scored a first-round TKO. Both men become UFC champions since - although Poirier was an interim - with both finding success at lightweight.
When McGregor makes the walk to the octagon, it will be the first time he does since he beat Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds at UFC 246. The victory got him back into the win column after he was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. The Irishman holds notable wins over Poirier, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo, and Nate Diaz.
Dustin Poirier, meanwhile, beat Dan Hooker in June in a 'Fight of the Year' contender. Just like McGregor, his last victory got him back into the win column after he was submitted by Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title. He did beat Max Holloway at UFC 236 to win the interim lightweight belt. In his UFC career at 155-pounds, he has beaten the likes of Justin Gaethje, Alvarez, and Anthony Pettis.