One thing McGregor wants is a second shot at UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and McGregor says the champion cannot hide from their potential rematch.
“(Nurmagomedov) is trembling,” McGregor said to The Mac Life (via Nolan King of MMA Junkie). “That man is trembling. He doesn’t want it. He doesn’t want it. You get it. He’s trying not to lose it again … I just smell (expletive). That’s all it is. He’s afraid, and that’s it. Everyone wants it. The boss wants it – Dana (White) wants it. We all want it. He can run, but he cannot hide. I look forward to it.”
McGregor believes he was winning the majority of the first bout against Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 until the fight ending sequence in the fourth round.
“In my mind, I won Round 1,” McGregor said. “I outstruck him 3-1. OK, he had position on that mat – but I outstruck him 3-1. What did he do in the first round? Second round, look at the lackadaisical approach I had to him. He was just running around the outside of the cage. He got that lucky shot and had a great second round. What happened after that? I was winning the third round, (and) even in the opening exchanges in the fourth round. I was winning the fourth round up until that trip.”
UFC 246 takes place on Saturday, January 18 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
