UFC News: Conor McGregor issues warning to Khabib Nurmagomedov - "You can run but you can't hide"
If anyone thought that since Conor McGregor is returning to the Octagon against Donald Cerrone in a Welterweight match-up, the rivalry between the Irishman and the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has finally come to an end, the truth is far from it.
Two weeks ahead of his comeback fight against 'Cowboy' in the headliner of UFC 246, McGregor revealed his plans for 2020 and announced that his rivalry with Nurmagomedov is far from over.
Although 'The Notorious One' was humbled by the Dagestani fighter when the pair met at UFC 229 back in 2018, McGregor claimed that the Russian is consciously shying away from a rematch because he is scared. Speaking to the Mac Life, McGregor said that Khabib is 'trembling' at the thought of fighting him again.
“He is trembling. That man is trembling. He doesn’t want it. He doesn’t want it. You get it and he’s trying not to lose it again. I just smell (expletive). That’s all it is. He’s afraid and that’s it. But everyone wants it. The boss wants it, Dana [White] wants it, we all want it. So he can run but he cannot hide. I look forward to it.”
Speaking about that, McGregor claimed that he out-struck his opponent in the first and third rounds of the fight. He went on to state that the Russian got lucky with an overhand that connected in the second round, but apart from that, he was just running around the Octagon, looking to avoid the straight left from Conor.
“In my mind, round 1, I won round 1. I outstruck him 3-to-1. He had position on the mat but I outstruck him 3-to-1. What did he do in that first round? Second round, look at the lackadaisical approach I had, he was just running around the outside of the cage and he caught that lucky shot and he had a great second round. What happened after that? I win the third round. Even the opening exchanges in the fourth round. I was winning the fourth round up until that trip.”
He admitted to losing his focus ahead of the fight against Nurmagomedov and apologized to his team for disrespecting their efforts during the training camp.
“That was after a horrendous camp where I was so disrespectful to the people that believe in me. So disrespectful to my team with my lack of commitment and I still went out and done that. Then I also landed the final blow of the night on his blood brother and his cousin.”