UFC miss a trick as plans for McGregor-Nurmagomedov showdown are revealed
“Is McGregor’s trash-talk enough? It’s completely unnecessary!”
We never thought ‘The American Gangster’ Chael P. Sonnen would try to convince a fighter to steer clear of trash-talk but that was his take on Wednesday.
Conor McGregor’s UFC 229 title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov is likely to break the UFC’s pay-per-view records and seats for the event, in Las Vegas, are currently trading hands for thousands of dollars. The box-office takings for the October 6 event are set to come in just behind UFC 205… when McGregor last fought.
21 months ago, ‘The Notorious’ put on a striking and movement masterclass to dominate Eddie Alvarez, at Madison Square Garden, and claim the lightweight belt. That strap was taken from him when Nurmagomedov won the “undisputed” 155lbs belt at UFC 223, in April.
The Dubliner’s long-awaited comeback pairs him, a renowned striker, against one of the best wrestlers in the game and the man with a 26-0 (10-0 UFC) record. The barrel of oil on this fire is the attack, carried by McGregor and some of his cohorts, on a bus carrying Nurmagomedov at the Barclays Center, days before the Dagestani won the belt.
“Listen, this fight is sold folks,” Sonnen declared. “I believe the footage of the dolly (hand-truck) versus the bus is a five million dollar piece of marketing that is organic.”
Ariel Helwani, his co-host on Ariel and The Bad Guy, touched on McGregor’s declaration that ‘this is war’ against Nurmagomedov and that is why he has upped the personal attacks and mind-games on social media. Helwani also revealed some details on the highly anticipated showdown between the two fighters.
“I’m sitting back and thinking, ‘Woah, Conor is going there!’ We know that it’s not fake and that this is not fabricated.
“I just can’t wait to see them in the same room together, face to face. I hear they are going to do a press conference in New York. They’re not going to do a world tour… Can you imagine them going to Dublin, can you imagine them going to Moscow for a press conference?
“That would be the most unbelievable thing in the history of combat sports, but it sounds like they are not going to do it. Part of me is a little upset and a part of me is thinking that maybe they don’t need to do it.”
UFC president has cited the lack of time – between contracts being signed and the fight – is the reason there will be no world tour. Regardless, this one is due to smash records.
Credit: ESPN
Fans have to dig deep to book flights to Vegas, or New York, if they want to see both men face off.
