Why Firas Zahabi thinks Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor won’t be a competitive fight

TriStar MMA founder Firas Zahabi is one of the greatest coaches in mixed martial arts history, with one of the keenest minds. During a recent live chat he discussed the outcome of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. former lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor at UFC 229.

What I’m doubting, what I don’t see very likely is a seesaw battle, said Zahabi, as transcribed by Anton Tabuena for BE. Where there’s a lot of stand up, then they hit the ground, then they get back up, and they’re striking and they’re wrestling, and it’s a back-and-forth battle where it’s coming down the last round — that, I don’t see.

I don’t see a very competitive fight even though these two fighters are great phenomenal competitors. The only reason I don’t see it that way is not because one fighter is more skilled than the other. No, far from it. The only reason I do see it this way — a one-sided victory — it’s purely because of their styles. McGregor’s style is completely opposite to Khabib’s.

If Khabib tries to pick and poke at McGregor from afar with that jab, that would really really surprise me. If McGregor tries to dirty box with Khabib, that would really surprise me, because any tie-ups with Khabib will probably result with McGregor being put on his back.

So I think they’re gonna be really on their game plan that night. It’s going play their game for real, the way they really play it. That’s McGregor at a distance, sniping, and that’s Khabib up-close, in personal, tying up, clinching.

It’s going to be a blowout either way. Either Khabib is going to win and it’s going to seem lopsided… Khabib is going to take him down and maul him, or McGregor is going to catch him on his way in and knock him out. It’s going to happen one way or another.

UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor will be held on October 6, 2018 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.