“Could knockout Khabib in a minute” – Heated debate sparks as fans claim Conor McGregor’s preparation for Floyd Mayweather was REAL reason for loss against nemesis

Conor McGregor in 2016 was an unstoppable force. Could the Irishman have beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov in his prime if he did not pursue a boxing match?

Fans bring up debate of Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov yet again ( Image via Imago )

Whether Conor McGregor could defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov in a rematch without taking a break to fight Floyd Mayweather is a subject of speculation and debate among MMA enthusiasts. McGregor faced Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018 and lost via submission.

Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather fight took place in August 2017, at the T-Mobile Arena. It is considered one of the biggest events in combat sports history. Conor McGregor was at the peak of his career during this fight. The crossover event drew significant media attention and even bigger pay-per-view numbers.

Mayweather ultimately won the bout by TKO in the 10th round. However, many commended McGregor for his incredible performance. They acknowledged him lasting ten rounds with an undefeated fighter in his debut fight. If McGregor had continued to fight in MMA instead, he might have been in better fighting shape and less affected by ring rust when facing Khabib.

Unpopular Opinion:

If Conor McGregor hadn’t taken a 2 year layoff from MMA after beating Eddie, he would have beat Khabib. pic.twitter.com/2YNZC1Hxod
— notNotorious (@Notori6us) September 19, 2023

However, Khabib announced his retirement from MMA in 2020, making a rematch less likely. Khabib retired undefeated, while Conor Mcgregor is going through a rough patch in his career. He has been out of the fight game for over two years now following a devastating leg injury in his previous fight in the UFC.

Fans debate if Conor McGregor could have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov

Recently, a fan claimed that if Conor McGregor had not taken a layoff during the peak of his career, he would have beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov. This sparked a heated debate among MMA enthusiasts online. Here are some of the reactions from X ( previously known as Twitter ):

Conor McGregor Khabib Nurmagomedov — Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 back in 2018 ( Image source: Twitter )

He was oozing with confidence after the Alvarez fight.

I think there was a high chance he could knock Khabib out in a minute.

He hasn't been the same fighter since the Mayweather fight in my opinion.
— Ryan Penney (@rpenney82) September 19, 2023

That two years helped his takedown defense so much, I think you’re very wrong here.
— Comeback Chronicles Paul (@typoinmyphoto) September 19, 2023

If khabib didn’t spend 2014-2016 out with injuries Conor wouldn’t have sniffed the LW belt
— MMA Film Room (@mmafilmroom) September 19, 2023

Unpopular opinion: if they fought outside of the cage with no referee, then Conor would not exist today.
— temp tag (@disastrous_inc) September 19, 2023

A thousand if’s

One reality:

Khabib decimated him on the night, and Conor hasnt been the same since.

“Changed. His. Face.”
— Dr. Abdullah Altaweel (@DrQ80_7) September 19, 2023

If I trained my entire life and packed on another 20 lbs of muscle and had the right coach I could have beaten Khabib that night.

Sadly we don’t live in a world of ‘if’s.

Just gotta accept reality for what it is.
— AfterSound (@AfterSoundMusic) September 19, 2023

??? Terrible take, he had some good defensive moments in that fight. Especially takedown defense. He can’t fight the same through 5 rounds, Khabib can and therefore he lost.
— waza ??? (@Wazatroniii) September 19, 2023

https://twitter.com/GBearTrading/status/1704213478859219271

Nice Cope bro
— Sky Money Boss • Generational Wealth Generator (@theskymoneyboss) September 19, 2023

Could McGregor have beaten Khabib under different circumstances? There would be a debate up for eternity regarding the matter. While Khabib retired from fighting, McGregor struggled to come back amidst USADA regulations. While the anticipated date stands at December this year, many believe McGregor will not be able to fight until 2024.

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Tags: Conor McGregor Floyd Mayweather Khabib Nurmagomedov

#About the Author

Neial Nishant Bhuyan

(1679 Articles Published)

Neial N Bhuyan is a boxing/MMA writer at FirstSportz. He has been a MMA journalist since 2023 and has published over 1300 articles. Neial has extensively covered multiple UFC title fights and crossover boxing matches for FirstSportz. He has invested over half a decade of his life in writing and the exciting prospect of mixed martial arts and boxing has enriched his life and helped him resonate with the millions of MMA fans worldwide through his writing. Neial himself has ventured into the world of boxing ever since he started writing about combat sports. The rich culture and cerebral nature of the game have helped him better understand the multiple nuances and intricate details of the sport. He has also invested time exploring the lives of the incredible athletes who have dedicated themselves to MMA and boxing. This in turn has helped Neial better present the rich culture and spirit of mixed martial arts and boxing to the world.

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“Could knockout Khabib in a minute” – Heated debate sparks as fans claim Conor McGregor’s preparation for Floyd Mayweather was REAL reason for loss against nemesis

Fans debate if Conor McGregor could have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov

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