Will we get Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2? Chael Sonnen has some ideas

08/01/2024 05:56 AM

Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2 was a matchup that MMA fans dreamed of, but seemingly will never obtain. Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen has some ideas of why the UFC dropped the ball when it came to negotiating Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2. The blockbuster event that was UFC 229, one of the biggest fight cards in history, could never be repeated.

Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2

Coated in bad blood and trash talk, UFC 229 saw McGregor and Nurmagomedov face off for the UFC’s lightweight world title. It was one of the biggest events in combat sports history, with nearly two and a half pay-per-view purchases. In the end, the Dagestani Nurmagomedov was able to defeat Ireland’s McGregor with a submission in the fourth round, via neck crank.

Afterward, chaos broke out in the arena. ‘The Eagle’ attacked Mcgregor’s team after being provoked. Khabib’s team jumped into the octagon and charged ‘The Notorious.’ Due to safety concerns, UFC gold could not be put on Nurmagomedov. Despite the colossal clash, the UFC was unable to book a rematch.

Khabib Nurmagomedov

‘The Eagle’ Khabib Nurmagomedov grew up wrestling in his home of Dagestan, Russia. Just a few years ago he retired from MMA with a perfect record of 29-0-0. Along the way, he was able to defeat notable fighters such as Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Rafael dos Anjos, and, of course, McGregor, among others.

After retiring from MMA and vacating his UFC championship, Nurmagomedov is helping to build up his countrymen through his gym and fight promotion. Repeatedly, the Russian-born athlete has stated that he has no interest in coming back to MMA. Recently, he has been in a little hot water to tax controversies in Russia.

Conor McGregor

The Notorious’ Conor McGregor is one of the most notable figures in MMA history. The Irish-born striker made history when he defeated the legendary José Aldo in only 13 seconds. Afterward, he went up in weight to capture the lightweight title from Eddie Alvarez in a flawless performance. Becoming a two-weight world champion changed the face of the UFC.

Most fans know McGregor best for his blockbuster boxing match against all-time great Floyd Mayweather and his multiple wars against Nate Diaz. In his professional career, ‘The Notorious’ has defeated notable athletes such as Max, Holloway, Chad Mendes, Aldo, and Alvarez, among others. Recently, he has been in some legal issues due to various ongoing controversies in multiple countries.

Chael Sonnen on Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2

As sports fans were clamoring for Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2, the UFC seemed unable to book the fight. Nurmagomedov wanted to retire and no amount of money could bring him back. McGregor was embroiled in various disputes and had enough money due to his whiskey business.

But according to Chael Sonnen, former UFC contender, money was never the issue. ‘The Bad Guy’ Sonnen outlines that all the UFC needed to do was adjust the weight class. That would have been enough to finally book the highly anticipated Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2.

“The UFC would’ve got him,” Sonnen said on Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 2, “They would have been able to talk him into that one more. They looked at the wrong numbers. Every time they had a meeting, they brought him more commas and zeros, the wrong number. The number they needed to adjust was the weight class. They could have made it 165 lbs and done whatever they did there. They could have gone 170lbs. They could have gone super fight. They could have done both. They could’ve taken and accepted his belt back and moved him against Conor McGregor for 170lbs… That was the mistake that they made.”