Khabib Nurmagomedov Beats Conor McGregor by Submission
Khabib Nurmagomedov won his highly anticipated “bad blood” bout against Conor McGregor in UFC 229, but no one could have ever predicted the chaos that would ensue after the fight.
The personal rivalry between the two had always threatened to go out of hand since their encounter in April that saw McGregor attack a bus carrying UFC fighters, including the reigning lightweight champion. However, what happened at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is on a whole other level.
After Khabib forced the loudmouthed McGregor to submission, he jumped off the Octagon fence and sparked a melee with the Irishman’s camp. What followed was another disgrace for the sport as the Russian’s team attacked the recovering McGregor inside the cage.
Now, what should have been the crowning moment of Khabib’s career turned into something that could ruin everything he has worked for.
Highlights of the game
The pre-match UFC 229 odds at SBOBET favoured Khabib to win the fight, thanks in large part to his superior striking and takedown ability. And sure enough, he lived up to his reputation after forcing McGregor to tap out in the fourth round.
It didn’t take long for the undefeated Russian brawler to finish the already exhausted McGregor in the fourth. He targeted to take down the Irishman right from the start of the fight, and his persistence paid off in the penultimate period as he managed to bring McGregor to the canvas and put himself in position for the rear-naked choke.
Khabib was in the front foot throughout, starting the fight with an early takedown of McGregor to bring the battle where he fights best. McGregor—limited on the attack while tied up with Khabib—did a good job defending, but the Russian clearly dominated and threw a few punches of his own to make his mark.
It was the same story for McGregor in the second, and he was a bit lucky to survive the round after a late ground-and-pound effort from Khabib put him in a perilous situation.
W O W 😳
Khabib Nurmagomedov remains undefeated after making Conor McGregor tap out! #UFC229 pic.twitter.com/UPKsq2DA7d
— SBOBET (@SBOBET) October 7, 2018
Khabib hit the challenger with a huge right hand and a flying knee to take him to the mat, and the so-called “The Eagle” unleashed a torrent of strikes coupled with some huge elbows. The 30-year-old McGregor managed to get back on his feet with 40 seconds remaining and escaped the round as they clinched against the cage.
McGregor found some hope in the third, with the relentless takedowns and attacks seemingly taking its toll on Khabib. The former two-time UFC champions connected a jab and a nice right hand early to dictate the pace of the round.
McGregor also found himself in dangerous situations in the third frame, but he used his boxing and solid defence to slow down Khabib who was still trying to take him down.
Fatigue, nonetheless, doomed McGregor in the fourth canto. He tried to set up his killer left cross in hopes of getting a knockout victory, but Khabib proved to be too much as he ended the fight with a little over three minutes left.
While that dominant victory could have been the main storyline of UFC 229 news, Khabib instead decided to mess things up for him and his team as he jumped off the fence and attacked McGregor’s teammates.
All hell broke loose after that as members of Khabib’s side attacked McGregor in the cage, with one even landing a punch on the Irishman.
McGregor was guided out of the arena while Khabib, who had to be restrained by security for the brawl he caused, was also escorted out of the cage as he was declared the winner by submission.
UFC president Dana White, however, refused to put the lightweight championship belt on Khabib, saying: “If I put this belt on you, you’ll get hurt.”
Key statistics
The brawl and chaos aside, it could have been a perfect night for Khabib. He landed a total of 111 strikes, with McGregor managing only 88.
It’s also interesting to note that while McGregor is known more for his striking power, it was Khabib who dominated that area. The Russian, who moves to 27-0 with the win, landed 99 significant strikes to the challenger’s 37.
Khabib, as expected, also had four takedowns in the fight while McGregor never really attempted one.
It’s two straight losses for McGregor now though, having also failed to taint the record of undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.
What’s next?
The Khabib-McGregor rivalry is far from over, and there will certainly be a rematch between the two disgraced fighters.
Nonetheless, before that, the question remains if Khabib and his team will still be allowed to fight again, both by the UFC and the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Based on the latest reports, three of his team members have been arrested.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission also reportedly withheld Khabib’s check, while McGregor has already been paid.
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