UFC 229: Anthony Pettis gives his honest take on Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov
What's the story?
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis has given his predictions for the upcoming UFC 229 Lightweight Championship bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and challenger Conor McGregor.
In case you didn't know...
Conor McGregor's last fight in the UFC was contested at the historic Madison Square Garden in Brooklyn, New York when the Irishman defeated now-former UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez, in order to capture the UFC Lightweight Title for the very first time in his career.
However, due to McGregor's inactivity inside the Octagon, 'The Notorious One' was eventually stripped of his Lightweight Title as well as his Featherweight Title that made him shift his focus towards his boxing career, where he squared off in a dream showdown against veteran Floyd Mayweather - which ultimately ended in a defeat for the Irishman.
McGregor's return to the Octagon was further delayed as he found himself in trouble with the law right after his bus attack at UFC 223 that eventually got him arrested in Brooklyn, New York.
In the meantime, Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov captured the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 223 when he defeated Al Iaquinta via unanimous decision.
The heart of the matter
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis feels that Irishman Conor McGregor is apparently more worthy of the UFC Lightweight Championship than Khabib Nurmagomedov and feels that at UFC 229, come October 6, The Notorious One will knock out Nurmagomedov in classic McGregor fashion to reclaim the Lightweight Title in one week's time.
Pettis also noted that he thinks that McGregor's KO win over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, solidified the former two-division champion as the actual champion of the 155-pound division, rather than Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defeated Al Iaquinta to win the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 203. (H/T: Bloody Elbow)
“I think Conor’s win over Eddie solidifies him more as champion more than Khabib beating Al. That’s just facts. The belt is where it is, they had to do it for the business, they had to move it forward, but if it was true to the game, Conor would be the champion."- per MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle.
"I think Conor wins. Knockout. I don’t know what round.”- Pettis' latest comments towards McGregor.
What's next?
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will battle on the 6th of October, 2018. Whereas, on the very same card, Tony Ferguson will battle Anthony Pettis in the co-main event.