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Andrew McNicol

Conor McGregor has posted some of his trademark cryptic tweets this week, as fans of the divisive Irishman flock to jump back on the hype train that has been left on neutral for almost a year.
The 31-year-old (24-4) has not fought since his loss to lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018 and has reportedly been recovering from a broken left hand.
On Monday, the Irishman tweeted “Dublin, December 14”. McGregor may well fight in Dublin on December 14 – Mirror reported he wants a second boxing fight, against compatriot Luke Keeler.
But it could easily be a whiskey roadshow, a boxing exhibition, or another court hearing. Or just nothing. McGregor dropping hints is nothing new, and fans and hate-watchers have been left hanging before.


If it is indeed a UFC bout, it will not be in Dublin on December 14, because UFC 245 in Las Vegas is booked for the same day.
More likely, it increasingly seems, a rematch with Dustin Poirier (25-6) could be next for McGregor. On Tuesday night, “The Notorious” posted a picture of him hammering the American’s head on the canvas in their September 2014 fight, accompanied by an emoji of a microphone.
Ben Askren says Conor McGregor needs to ‘shut up and fight’ after Poirier put down
“The Diamond” is fully angling for the rematch after his own defeat by Khabib at UFC 242. He is challenged McGregor to “try to beat your record” and stop him in 90 seconds instead of 106.
The rematch make senses – not least because they are No 2 and No 3 in the lightweight rankings. Former interim lightweight champion Poirier has greatly improved his technical sharpness since their first fight, which was at featherweight. Both men have a point to prove, too, after tapping to Khabib’s chokes.
But who better for McGregor to aim his smart quips and infuriating mind-games at than fresh title contender Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje?

The iron-fisted, all-or-nothing American is now 21-2 after convincingly knocking out Donald Cerrone at UFC Fight Night 158 in Vancouver on Saturday.
“The Irishman is retired. I want a real fighter. I want the winner of Tony and Khabib”, Gaethje said in the Octagon. But he backtracked in a post-fight interview with ESPN, saying he “absolutely would love to fight him”.
Of course he would. Not least because of the payday, but Gaethje has also called out McGregor’s questionable character, as a “s*** human, husband and father”.

McGregor’s list of controversies both in and out of the cage is as long as his 74-inch reach. “He punched an old man in the face. I wanna f*** him up for that,” Gaethje added to ESPN.
Gaethje is certainly worthy of a title shot. Since 2018, he has steamrollered through Edson Barboza, James Vick and Cerrone. All three ended in first-round knockouts. Sound familiar?
Before his recent knockout streak, however, Gaethje lost to Poirier and now-One Championship star Eddie Alvarez. McGregor has comfortably beaten both. The odds are in the Irishman’s favour.

Stylistically, this opponent is perfect for McGregor to perform his magic. The only fears are Gaethje’s relentless forward pressure and unfathomable durability.
But to Gaethje’s iron head and peekaboo-boxing, McGregor has a time-shifting left piston of a hook; to Gaethje’s low-slicing leg kicks, McGregor has his unique front-push kick; to Gaethje’s All-American collegiate-level wrestling, McGregor has four rounds of experience with a Dagestani bear. But let’s face it – neither will want to bring the fight to the ground.
This is McGregor’s best chance to emerge from the flames as a mixed martial artist rather than a pay-per-view star. The argument is not whether his future fights will make money – because they will. It is whether he is still relevant in the lightweight division.

He is not going to get the Khabib (28-0) rematch because the overwhelming public demand is for the champion to face Tony Ferguson (25-3). It just seems right that the MMA stars will finally align after four previous failed attempts at making the fight.
Fighting Cerrone or Frankie Edgar would do nothing for his ranking, whereas Al Iaquinta would be a step backwards.
The Nate Diaz trilogy is unlikely because the Stockton welterweight’s attention is on the UFC’s first gimmick belt – and as if McGregor would encroach on the 170-pound division again.

If McGregor truly is preparing for an MMA comeback, then it must be Gaethje.
If he loses, he will have lost to the next-in-line for a lightweight title shot. His ranking will probably fall by a place or two but the damage is controlled.
If McGregor wins, then he has climbed the ladder to Khabib or Ferguson, and the redemption tale is on.


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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

UFC: Conor McGregor drops Dustin Poirier rematch hint but Justin Gaethje is the fight to make

Conor McGregor (left) before his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018, and Justin Gaethje after beating Donald Cerrone. Photo: AP/YouTube (ESPN MMA)

Conor McGregor appears to aim a punch at an elderly patron of a bar in Dublin.

Justin Gaethje looks on as the referee checks on Donald Cerrone after stopping the fight during a lightweight match at UFC Fight Night in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

Russian UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, left, fights with UFC fighter Dustin Poirier, of Lafayette, La., during Lightweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 242, in Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday , Sept.7 2019. (AP Photo/ Mahmoud Khaled)

Justin Gaethje, right, celebrates his win over Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone following their lightweight match at UFC Fight Night in Vancouver, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

Sep 14, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Donald Cerrone (red gloves) fights Justin Gaethje (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

UFC: Ben Askren says Conor McGregor needs to ‘shut up and fight’ after Poirier put down

Conor McGregor is escorted from the Octagon area after fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

(FILES) In this file photo taken on October 4, 2018 Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor poses for cameras following a press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. - McGregor is under investigation in his native Ireland on an accusation of sexual assault, the New York Times reported on March 26, 2019. The report, in which the Times cited four unnamed sources, came a day after the trash-talking star of the Ultimate Fighting Championship wrote on Twitter that he had decided to retire from his career inside the octagon. (Photo by Isaac Brekken / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

UFC: Conor McGregor is a bad influence on his children, says Justin Gaethje – ‘I’ll never respect you’

Conor McGregor is looking to return to the UFC Octagon in 2019. Photo: AFP

UFC: Dustin Poirier challenges Conor McGregor to ‘beat your record’ and defeat him in 1:30

Dustin Poirier throws a punch at Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242. Photo: AP

FILE - This Sept. 27, 2014, file photo shows Conor McGregor during his fight with Dustin Poirier, in Las Vegas. McGregor has been playing elaborate mind games with Jose Aldo for many months, goading and taunting the UFC champion with verbal dexterity and showmanship to rival the greatest self-promoters in sports history. The Irish featherweight finally gets his Brazilian target in the octagon Dec. 12, at UFC 194, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and McGregor promises he’ll back up every word he said. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

UFC: Khabib and Vladimir Putin throw shade at Conor McGregor as Russian president praises chokehold

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov during a meeting in Makhachkala, Russia. Photos: EPA

epa07837892 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets with Head of Dagestan Republic Vladimir Vasilyev (2-L), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov (2-R) and his father, coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov (R), in Makhachkala, Russia, 12 September 2019. EPA-EFE/ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/ SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

epa07837894 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) listens to, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov (R), during a meeting in Makhachkala, Russia, 12 September 2019. EPA-EFE/ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/ SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

UFC 242: Dana White says Conor McGregor rematch ‘makes sense’ if Tony Ferguson doesn’t want Khabib

Khabib Nurmagomedov speaks in the Octagon after winning his fight against Dustin Poirier. Photo: Reuters

MMA - UFC 242 - Khabib Nurmagomedov v Dustin Poirier - Men's UFC Lightweight title - Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - September 7, 2019 Khabib Nurmagomedov in action against Dustin Poirier REUTERS/Christopher Pike TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

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Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


A rematch with ‘The Diamond’ makes sense but Justin Gaethje is a perfect stylistic match-up
Bad blood already brewing between ‘The Notorious’ and ‘The Highlight’ too



A rematch with ‘The Diamond’ makes sense but Justin Gaethje is perfect stylistic match-up for ‘The Notorious’ – and the bad blood is already brewing.


Conor McGregor

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

The Takedown

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}The Takedown | UFC: Conor McGregor drops Dustin Poirier rematch hint but Justin Gaethje is the fight to make

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} A rematch with ‘The Diamond’ makes sense but Justin Gaethje is a perfect stylistic match-up Bad blood already brewing between ‘The Notorious’ and ‘The Highlight’ too

The Takedown | UFC: Conor McGregor drops Dustin Poirier rematch hint but Justin Gaethje is the fight to make

A rematch with ‘The Diamond’ makes sense but Justin Gaethje is a perfect stylistic match-up

Bad blood already brewing between ‘The Notorious’ and ‘The Highlight’ too