- McGregor hasn’t fought since bug out against Khabib in October 2018.
- Star has been dogged by controversy since loss.
- Win against Cowboy would set up enticing 2020.
The former double-champ steps back into the octagon later this month. Once the best star in the game – is Conor McGregor’s return for real or just the case of another champ not knowing when to desert?
We are still over a week out but it appears a new fully focused McGregor will be turning up to face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. His Instagram episode has featured some pretty intimidating shots of a super buff McGregor and the wild side stories have nattered away for now.
A fully fit McGregor should make short work of the always game but limited future hall of famer Cerrone. But Instagram is one happenings c belongings. It won’t be until Michael Buffer shrieks “It’s time” and the bell rings for combat to begin that we truly know which Conor we are intimidating.
A Heavy Loss and a Year of Controversy
McGregor walked into the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada at the top of the UFC world. It was his beginning fight after the entertaining but quite ridiculous “Money Fight” against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017.
McGregor had been emboldened by the power that had strained Dana White to let him fight Mayweather and now he was back to reclaim his rightful place at the top of the UFC.
It didn’t work out like that. Khabib toyed with Conor and come to termed him tap out badly in the fourth, even holding the clinch a few painful seconds longer than was necessary. The bad blood then erupted outward the ring when Khabib jumped out of the octagon and attacked Conor’s corner.
What should have been a loving terrible event ended in farce and bad defeat for a cowed McGregor. And what followed in 2019 was no better for the Irishman.
In March, McGregor was busted for destroying an overly keen fan’s phone in Miami Beach. And in August, footage came out of McGregor aiming a punch at an old man in a limited Irish pub. There have also been complaints of sexual assault, which have so far failed to result in any formal names.
Proper 12 or Proper Fighter?
Conor McGregor doesn’t need to get back in the octagon. He has made more wherewithal from fighting than he could ever spend. And outside of the sport he now owns one of the world’s most successful whiskey marks, as well as his own clothing line.
Money is not the motivation, but is his pride and desire to get back to the top misguided? The ultimate objective must be make reprisal for against Khabib but few would give him little chance of this happening.
As it is, a relatively easy opponent in Cowboy choice be Conor’s first fight back as he looks to prove to himself and the rest of the world that he is still the Conor Mcgregor who fast took over the UFC. If he loses, his career is almost certainly over. If he wins and shows that the old Conor is still there, 2020 could be a least exciting year for UFC fans.
The opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.
Stay modified: January 8, 2020 6:06 PM UTC