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Khabib v McGregor


David

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9 minutes ago, 86 points said:

Think this is a tad unfair @Highgate Generally speaking, there is a deal more respect shown between fighters in MMA than in boxing and McGregor is the exception not the rule. Where I would agree with you is that McGregor is not good for the image of the sport but he does have a massive following and was very much key to raising the profile of the sport to its current levels. Unfortunately he's taken his irrational dislike of Khabib too far and he stirred a hornet's nest in doing so. Khabib has never shown anything like that side of his character before, indeed he's been a model professional but if you view all of the pre-fight stuff you can see that some of McGregor's rather unsavoury 'banter' clearly got to him, as did his comments that had Khabib got off the bus, he'd be a 'dead man'. As it was, Khabib showed McGregor up for what he is. A decent striking fighter but one of limited skills outside of his boxing and we all know that Mayweather ruthlessly exposed his shortcomings in that department too. A big name but no longer the main man as while MMA fighters and their skill-sets are rapidly evolving, McGregor has stood still. McGregor needs the sideshow to remain relevant but will struggle to beat the guys coming through in his division let alone the like of Khabib.

Quite possibly my view of MMA is tarnished by McGregor, who is one of the most unpleasant and tiresome individuals ever to rise to prominence in any sport in my view. I can't make up my mind whether it's he, or the media circus that follows him, that is more annoying.   I don't like all the hype and trumped up animosity in boxing either to be honest. 

I'm not sure why watching one man elbow a prone and bloodied opponent in the head until they can't take it anymore is good viewing, but each to their own and if they are willing combatants then good luck to them I suppose. 

I hope your assessment of McGregor's prospects in the sport are accurate, if so it shouldn't be too long before he is nothing but a bad memory. 

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18 minutes ago, Highgate said:

Quite possibly my view of MMA is tarnished by McGregor, who is one of the most unpleasant and tiresome individuals ever to rise to prominence in any sport in my view. I can't make up my mind whether it's he, or the media circus that follows him, that is more annoying.   I don't like all the hype and trumped up animosity in boxing either to be honest. 

I'm not sure why watching one man elbow a prone and bloodied opponent in the head until they can't take it anymore is good viewing, but each to their own and if they are willing combatants then good luck to them I suppose. 

I hope your assessment of McGregor's prospects in the sport are accurate, if so it shouldn't be too long before he is nothing but a bad memory. 

The animosity between Khabib and McGregor wasn't trumped up. For McGregor, it's all part and parcel of the 'Conor Show' but he underestimated the backlash that was to follow as for Khabib the hate is very real. Khabib genuinely wanted to hurt McGregor and even some aspects of the fight were uncomfortable viewing. McGregor was fortunate to escape with only superficial damage IMO. It was quite noticeable how shocked he looked by what went on as the aftermath clearly wasn't the 'script' he was expecting. The media circus, as you point out, is now part and parcel of the fight business but the scenes post-fight last night will do UFC few favours and may even prove a hindrance to any re-match. UFC will not be licensed and insured to conduct business if crowds start erupting into violence. Last night was a return to the dark old days that Dana White has worked so hard to banish, where crowd trouble was the norm rather than the exception and states like Nevada rightly take a very dim view of such occurrences as in the grand scheme of a city such as Vegas, fights like these are a dime a dozen and are just a means to drag more punters into Vegas casinos. I understand your misgivings regarding the fights themselves but serious injuries are relatively rare and fighters tend not to try to over-extend their careers, for all that's worth.

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21 minutes ago, 86 points said:

The animosity between Khabib and McGregor wasn't trumped up. For McGregor, it's all part and parcel of the 'Conor Show' but he underestimated the backlash that was to follow as for Khabib the hate is very real. Khabib genuinely wanted to hurt McGregor and even some aspects of the fight were uncomfortable viewing. McGregor was fortunate to escape with only superficial damage IMO. It was quite noticeable how shocked he looked by what went on as the aftermath clearly wasn't the 'script' he was expecting. The media circus, as you point out, is now part and parcel of the fight business but the scenes post-fight last night will do UFC few favours and may even prove a hindrance to any re-match. UFC will not be licensed and insured to conduct business if crowds start erupting into violence. Last night was a return to the dark old days that Dana White has worked so hard to banish, where crowd trouble was the norm rather than the exception and states like Nevada rightly take a very dim view of such occurrences as in the grand scheme of a city such as Vegas, fights like these are a dime a dozen and are just a means to drag more punters into Vegas casinos. I understand your misgivings regarding the fights themselves but serious injuries are relatively rare and fighters tend not to try to over-extend their careers, for all that's worth.

Do you reckon a fighter comes out of UFC in a better state than the typical boxer will when they call time on a career than mate?

I love boxing, but having tried to watch UFC I find I'm just a bit too squeamish for the level of violence, pussy as that sounds.

Maybe I'm misjudging it, and it's just as noble an art as boxing?

Like reading about it mind.

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19 minutes ago, 86 points said:

The animosity between Khabib and McGregor wasn't trumped up.

I'm sure you are correct on that, I wouldn't know. Not that genuine hate between fighters is a positive either.  The trumped accusation was aimed at boxing really, where oleaginous promoters try to stoke up interest in their product with nonsense such as the ridiculous staring match at weigh-ins and the like.  Some fighters manage to rise above it and maintain their dignity however.

Amateur/Olympic boxing is far more of a genuine sport than the professional ranks in my opinion.  Now if they could only learn to judge that reliably. 

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1 minute ago, reveldevil said:

Do you reckon a fighter comes out of UFC in a better state than the typical boxer will when they call time on a career than mate?

I love boxing, but having tried to watch UFC I find I'm just a bit too squeamish for the level of violence, pussy as that sounds.

Maybe I'm misjudging it, and it's just as noble an art as boxing?

Like reading about it mind.

It's quite hard to be dogmatic about it as the sample sizes are nowhere near equivalent. My gut feeling is that if MMA fighters prolonged their careers the way some boxers do, then they'd be experiencing more of the brain trauma type injuries than boxers. There are obvious reasons for this. As for being squeamish, I think a lot of folk are and probably rightly so. We want to see a decent match-up but most of us do not want to see someone getting their eye-sockets and cheekbones shattered! TBH, I'm not sure that 'noble art' applies to either sport these days but their does seem a deal more respect amongst the fighters (for the moment, at least) than we've seen in recent times in boxing. McGregor is a notable exception and his pantomime villainy is half of his appeal, as he well knows. I genuinely don't think he expected things to turn as nasty as they did last night - perhaps he took too much for granted and did not see how much he'd got under Khabib's skin.

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7 minutes ago, Highgate said:

I'm sure you are correct on that, I wouldn't know. Not that genuine hate between fighters is a positive either.  The trumped accusation was aimed at boxing really, where oleaginous promoters try to stoke up interest in their product with nonsense such as the ridiculous staring match at weigh-ins and the like.  Some fighters manage to rise above it and maintain their dignity however.

Amateur/Olympic boxing is far more of a genuine sport than the professional ranks in my opinion.  Now if they could only learn to judge that reliably. 

Fair point @Highgate For the record, despite being utterly dominant, Khabib has always been professional and respectful. Last night he was snarling like a wild animal even after he'd dismantled McGregor. It was not by any means the normal consummate pro UFC fans are used to seeing. I suspect he'll be rueing his actions today, or I hope as much anyway. As for standoffs, I've no issue with a bit of eyeballing pre-fight, but when punches, bottles and crass (racist, religious, homophobic) slurs are being exchanged, I grant you it's rather less than edifying. 

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4 minutes ago, MuespachRam said:

Whatever you think of Mcgregor you have to admire the hard work and dedication he and the other members of the pantomime all put into making it a great show for the uneducated and dim witted.

genius idea to add the after show into the performance.  

 

Indeed. The way he got his face punched in both during and after the fight was a 'masterstroke' only the hugely perceptive would appreciate.

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10 hours ago, 86 points said:

Indeed. The way he got his face punched in both during and after the fight was a 'masterstroke' only the hugely perceptive would appreciate.

All it needed was the fat guy with a glittery hat on to wander around “the octagon” shouting “easy easy easy”

and when the dude jumps over the fence I’m sure I heard the crowd shout “he’s behind you”

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11 hours ago, reveldevil said:

Do you reckon a fighter comes out of UFC in a better state than the typical boxer will when they call time on a career than mate?

I love boxing, but having tried to watch UFC I find I'm just a bit too squeamish for the level of violence, pussy as that sounds.

Maybe I'm misjudging it, and it's just as noble an art as boxing?

Like reading about it mind.

Boxers come off far worse.

The whole idea of the sport is you stand and hit each other in the head. No divergence from that. 

Meanwhile in MMA they can takedown, clinch.. Go for submissions that don't do permanent damage. The knockouts look far more brutal, but the adding up of small concussions in sparring etc is far worse from boxing. 

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1 hour ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

What's the attraction? Pituitary freaks fed on raw meat and adrenaline sandwiches behaving like animals. I don't see it.

You could say the same about WWF, Saturday afternoon wrestling and Jack and The Beanstalk starring John Inman and Frank Bruno. 

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1 hour ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

What's the attraction? Pituitary freaks fed on raw meat and adrenaline sandwiches behaving like animals. I don't see it.

What's the attraction to 11 men kicking a ball round a field?

The competition, the talent, hunger to be the best.. And the fact its damned exciting

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6 hours ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

What's the attraction? Pituitary freaks fed on raw meat and adrenaline sandwiches behaving like animals. I don't see it.

Not at all, it is undoubtedly physical, violent and bloody but don't ever let that draw the conclusion that it is without skill, training and dedication. All these guys are multiple black belts with incredible application to their art.

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Just now, BaaLocks said:

Not at all, it is undoubtedly physical, violent and bloody but don't ever let that draw the conclusion that it is without skill, training and dedication. All these guys are multiple black belts with incredible application to their art.

Who then go and let themselves down by behaving like a proper image.png.dac2a6e35a1c9d65dba5a5a428a04453.png

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