Fear of Habib or problems with weight loss: why McGregor decided to go to battle with Masvidal, and not with Nurmagomedov

Over the past year, one of the main topics in the UFC has remained a possible revenge between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. Despite the unambiguous outcome of the first match, the Irish was determined to hold a return fight and was ready for this for all kinds of tricks. He repeatedly insulted not only the athlete, but also his family, his wife and religion, and subsequently allowed himself harsh remarks against compatriots Khabib, trying with all his might to force him to accept the fight.

However, Nurmagomedov did not succumb to provocations, confidently held the second defense of the title and already recognized the name of the next opponent. This state of affairs forced McGregor to change tactics and seek a different approach to the Russian. He drew attention to other possible rivals and chose among them one of the most convenient for himself. Donald Cerrone had two defeats in a row in his liabilities and, like no one else, met Conor's goals. The victory over such a famous fighter of the pier to revive faith in him, both promotion and fans, that could provide him with a meeting with Habib.

But the Irishman once again surprised everyone. McGregor moved the battle with Cerrone to a more convenient weight and declared his desire to continue his performances in this category. As future opponents, he designated the current holder of the title of “toughest bastard” (BMF) Jorge Masvydalya and champion Kamaru Usman.

McGregor’s decision to change the weight category could not but cause talk about his true motives, one of which could be considered the fear of repeatedly giving way to Nurmagomedov. A defeat in revenge could cost the Irishman not only status, but also a career, since it threatened not only to drop him in the ratings, but also to break him morally. It could also be assumed that over the years it became much more difficult for Conor to lose weight, which blocked his path to the category of up to 70 kg.

Given the Irishman’s experience in the welterweight division, many might find such statements too reckless. So far, MacGregor has fought twice in it and only once got the upper hand. And this despite the fact that both times he was opposed by lightweight Nate Diaz, not famous for his physical data. In rivalry with the true welterweight Conor risked to be much lower and weaker, which practically deprived him of a chance of success.

However, McGregor’s current plan was much simpler and not much different from what he had done before. In 2017, he already expressed his readiness to fight with the then reigning welterweight champion Tyrone Woodley, but the UFC did not go to meet him. Surely he knew perfectly well that this time Dana White and the company would certainly not provide him with the opportunity to immediately compete for the belt, which guaranteed to free him from meeting with the most formidable athlete from the above couple. Thus, Masvidal remained, which is for him the key not only to Nurmagomedov, but also to the full return to the Olympus of the Absolute Fighting Championship.

Over the past year, Masvidal has become the main star of mixed martial arts. His knockout in a duel with Ben Askren became the fastest in the UFC and over the coming years may be among the greatest early victories in the history of MMA. Add to this the numerous awards following the results of the year and the fight at the jubilee 500th tournament of the championship in New York - and you will get a new promotion face. Given the fact that several years ago it was McGregor who was the main star of the industry, this cannot but affect his pride.

Thus, for MacGregor, the fight with Masvidal is of great importance for several reasons at once. He cannot but be interested in, firstly, to regain the status of the most popular representative of mixed martial arts, and secondly, to get another belt, albeit without such value as a real champion title. The Irishman immediately claimed the title of BMF, which is quite reasonable, given his behavior.

Beating Jorge, Conor will again draw great attention to his person and will be in a winning position. This fight will certainly gather a record audience at the screens and bring huge profits to the UFC, which will make Dana White fulfill any Irish desire. It was at that moment that he would demand revenge with Nurmagomedov, and the leadership simply could not refuse him.

McGregor is well aware that defeating conditional Dustin Porrier or Justin Gatgy is unlikely to cause the same excitement as his success in the battle with Masvidal. He already won the first, and the second does not yet have the necessary weight in the promotion. This was perfectly demonstrated by the head of the UFC himself, noting that at the moment the American is not among the main contenders for the lightweight title. Nevertheless, he is a very dangerous fighter and can create enough problems for the Irishman, which makes the fight with him even more unprofitable.

Of course, Masvidalya is also difficult to call a convenient opponent, but he certainly does not surpass MacGregor in striking technique and force of impact. As for physical strength, it should have a slight advantage, but not so dramatic. In this regard, he is significantly inferior to other representatives of the welterweight division - such as the same Usman and Woodley.

By and large, Jorge has an advantage over Conor in only two aspects. Firstly, he is much more accustomed to performing in this category, which may affect later rounds. Irish's previous attempts to fight in the division up to 77 kg were inconclusive due to lack of stamina. It is very difficult for him to drag extra mass, and the energy-consuming style of battle leads to fatigue. Secondly, Masvidal perfectly knows how to knit rivals in a clinch that McGregor dislikes so much. It was this tactic that helped Nurmagomedov and Diaz exhaust the ex-champion, after which he became noticeably less dangerous.

But despite the bright victories in recent battles and the sharply increased popularity, Masvidal remains a fairly average fighter who cannot be called impassable. This is well understood by McGregor, who chose him as the next "victim". During his career, the American lost 13 times, and managed to be knocked out. True, this happened back in 2008, when he was sent to the canvas by Brazilian Rodrigo Damm.

In addition, Masvidal had previously experienced problems in opposing lefties. It is enough to recall his duel with Benson Henderson, which ended in his defeat by a separate decision of the judges. Jorge for a long time could not find his distance and missed quite a lot. And this is considering the fact that his counterpart always specialized in wrestling and was never considered a skilled drummer. Perhaps, McGregor, who is a recognized specialist in this aspect, drew attention to this.

Thus, Conor’s decision to fight the Cowboy precisely in the welterweight suddenly turns out to be quite logical. He decided not to waste time fighting with opponents inferior to him in class and popularity, but set the task to return to the top of his sport as soon as possible. The fight with Cerrone should be for him a full-fledged test of strength and demonstrate whether he is able to implement his plan to return to the elite.

The duel should show whether McGregor will be able to compete on equal terms with the natural welterweight, how well he will be able to use his advantages with athletes that are much superior to him in height and whether he managed to solve endurance problems. If yes, then the fight with Masvidal will be only a matter of time. The American never chose rivals and will not miss the opportunity to earn a tidy sum.