Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3045241/ufc-246-georges-st-pierre-predicts-conor
Martial Arts/ Mixed Martial Arts

UFC 246: Georges St-Pierre predicts Conor McGregor vs Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone

  • UFC legend St-Pierre thinks a longer fight will favour Cerrone
  • ‘If he tries to play a karate and boxing game, McGregor will knock him out’
Conor McGregor returns to the UFC Octagon next weekend, having not fought since October 2018. Photo: AP

Conor McGregor is the overwhelming favourite against Donald Cerrone, but UFC legend Georges St-Pierre sees a path to victory for “Cowboy”.

Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor returns to the UFC Octagon on January 18, but faces veteran Cerrone at 170 pounds in the main event of UFC 246.

“If it’s a quick fight it’s going to be McGregor,” former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre told the TriStar Gym’s YouTube channel. “If it’s a long fight it’s going to be Cerrone.

“[It] depends if Cerrone comes and tries to grapple because he has a very good ground game, his ground game is very underrated. I’ve trained with him before, he has good takedown. He is very explosive to shoot the takedown.

“People don’t know that because he doesn’t use it much. He used it against Patrick Cote. If he does that, to weather the first couple minutes of the storm and McGregor’s powerful left hand, I think he can get it.

“I think if he wrestles in round one he has a good chance to win. But, if he tries to play a boxing and karate game with McGregor, McGregor will knock him out … It’s hard. The odds are more towards McGregor. Cerrone can pull this off too.”

St-Pierre does believe, however, that the fight taking place at welterweight favours Cerrone.

“It’s at 170, [it’s] Cerrone [advantage] I think. McGregor looks big. I don’t know enough about McGregor. But, from what I’ve seen is he is like a sniper,” St-Pierre said.

“When you fight a sniper, you need to move, you need change levels, you need change angles, change [the] distance and I don’t know if Cerrone will do that. He is known to be a slow starter as usual, so if he doesn’t start right away hard with the speed he is going to get caught.”