Former two division UFC champion Conor McGregor is challenging UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for the gold at UFC 229.
Artem Lobov is a longtime training partner and friend of McGregor, who says Nurmagomedov has no striking and that McGregor also has the grappling advantage.
“When you say it like that, it’s as if Conor doesn’t have wrestling and grappling, and Khabib doesn’t have any striking,” Lobov told The Mac Life. “It is true that Khabib doesn’t really have any striking, but it’s certainly not true that Conor’s grappling or wrestling is not on that level. He can easily out-grapple Khabib, and in the wrestling as well. Of course this is Khabib’s game, so we’re not stupid. We’re not gonna fall into his hands right away, but make no mistake about it, we’re gonna be ready everywhere.”
McGregor does have one victory by way of submission as a professional MMA fighter, but has suffered three losses by submission.
As far as a prediction goes for UFC 229, a confident Lobov believes McGregor gets the job done in one round.
“So I see all that, I see Conor in training. I see his timing, I know his wrestling, how good his grappling as well. I just don’t see it any other way. First round stoppage for Conor McGregor,” says Lobov.
UFC 229 takes place on Saturday, October 6 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
