Anthony Johnson

Bellator’s Yoel Romero says there’s a 90% chance he fights Rumble Johnson in debut

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Bellator has been making some waves with their recent signings in the light heavyweight division. Earlier this year, the promotion signed top UFC light heavyweight Corey Anderson to bolster their light heavyweight division.

Anderson was ranked fourth in the UFC prior to the Bellator signing. Then, out of no where, Bellator signed Anthony “Rumble” Johnson after he mutually parted ways with the UFC. This week, the promotion made another huge signing.

The UFC is cutting down their roster by the end of the year. One of the fighters who was let go is Yoel Romero. Romero’s release came as a surprise considering he just fought for the title back in February in his last fight.

However, the UFC decided it was time to move on from Romero. After initially not seeming interested, Bellator pounced on the opportunity to sign Yoel Romero. They finalized the deal this week and he will be fighting in the light heavyweight division.

Romero appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show to talk about his move to Bellator. He talked about his first fight saying, “There’s a huge possibility, 90% chance that (Anthony “Rumble” Johnson) will be the first one.”

Bellator’s huge light heavyweight matchup

This is the biggest matchup Bellator can make with their new signings. Romero and Rumble are two of the most feared fighters in the world. Both are freaks of nature with incredible power in their hands.

Romero won a silver medal in the Olympics for wrestling, however, it’s his power and athleticism that has made him a star. Rumble Johnson is known for separating people from their senses. Just ask Glover Teixeira who didn’t last 14 seconds with Rumble.

Bellator has some serious momentum in their light heavyweight division at the moment. While their last three signings were all fighters who were released by the UFC, they are massive additions to their roster.

I’m not saying it is, but you can definitely make the argument that Bellator‘s light heavyweight division could compete with the UFC’s. It’s been a long time since anyone said they could compete with the UFC in any division.

BREAKING: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson signs with Bellator

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Anthony Rumble Johnson

In a shocking turn of events this morning, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6) is heading to Bellator. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani broke the news this morning saying that Johnson had parted ways with the UFC and signed with Bellator.

This is very similar to what happened with Corey Anderson when he signed with Bellator. The top UFC light heavyweight out of no where was released and signed a deal with Bellator within hours of the release.

Just this week, we posted an article about Rumble’s return to the UFC. He has been training extremely hard in his quest to try to become a champion. Anthony Johnson hasn’t fought since 2017 when he lost to Daniel Cormier.

Over the weekend, the UFC announced that they would be making a number of roster cuts before the end of the year. Rumble was going to be a fighter that was going to make a decent amount of money. One has to wonder if that played a part in all of this.

Rumble in Bellator

Per Helwani, the plan is for Rumble to fight at light heavyweight and make his debut for Bellator in the first few months of 2021. With the addition of Rumble Johnson, Bellator’s light heavyweight division just got even better.

Scott Coker’s claims to have the best light heavyweight division just doubled down with the signing of Rumble Johnson. He’s a major signing for Bellator and could easily become the light heavyweight champion.

There are so many good matchups for Johnson. He could always have a rematch with Phil Davis, fight Corey Anderson, and there’s the champion, Vadim Nemkov. I fully expect Bellator to put Johnson in the title picture very quickly.

I’m very curious to see who the promotion pairs him with first. Either way, we know that Rumble’s UFC days are over and his Bellator career will start very soon.

Anthony Johnson on his UFC return: “I’m trying to bury everybody”

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Anthony Rumble Johnson

One of the most terrifying knockout artist in the history of the UFC is getting ready for his return. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6) will be returning to action in 2021 after retiring back in 2017.

Back at UFC 210, Rumble was submitted for the second time by Daniel Cormier. Cormier turned away Rumble in his only two attempts to capture the UFC light heavyweight championship. After the second fight, Rumble announced his retirement. 

He stated in his post-fight interview that he wanted to focus on other things. However, it seems that Rumble has caught that fighting passion again. He’s not playing with this comeback that was announced a few months ago.

Johnson entered the USADA testing pool and should be eligible to fight in March. He made it no secret that he’s planning on taking down whatever’s in his way at 205. In an interview he posted on his Instagram page, Rumble made no secrets about his plan.

When asked about who he’s targeting in the UFC, Johnson replied, “Everybody. I’m not going to call out just one person. I’m trying to buy everybody.” Terrifying words from the knockout artist.

Rumble’s UFC return

We are getting closer and closer to Rumble Johnson making his return to the UFC. He’s doing it at a great time considering the light heavyweight division is wide open. Jon Jones vacated the title to move up to heavyweight and the division has a new king.

Jan Blachowicz reigns over the light heavyweights at the moment. The Polish Power is on an incredible run and he’s got a bigtime fight in the works with the current UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya.

When it comes to contenders at light heavyweight, the number one contender is Glover Teixeira. Teixeira has gone on an incredible run of winning five consecutive fights. If Adesanya wasn’t moving up, Glover would be getting a UFC title shot.

However, with Adesanya getting the next shot at Blachowicz, Teixeira will have to wait his turn. It’s worth noting that Teixeira was knocked out in 14 seconds by Rumble Johnson. Not saying they would, but maybe the UFC asks Glover if he wants a rematch while he waits.

However, I don’t think that fight’s likely. Another option for Johnson could be a guy like Johnny Walker. Would be a winnable fight for Rumble, but a fun one for fans.

One thing is for sure, I expect a big name in Rumble’s UFC return. If he comes back and looks like he did a few years ago, he’s only one win away from a title shot in my eyes.

What’s next for Glover Teixeira after UFC Vegas 13 victory?

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Anthony Smith, UFC

This past weekend at UFC Vegas 13, Glover Teixeira (32-7) made a big statement with his victory. Teixeira was the underdog as he took on former title challenger, Thiago Santos. Santos was making his UFC return after a lengthy layoff due to knee injuries.

The last time we had seen Santos, he fought to a split decision with Jon Jones. He did that essentially on one leg. Prior to that, he had knocked out current UFC light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz when they fought. Many were expecting another knockout from Santos.

As the fight got started, it looked like that’s where we were headed. Santos wobbled Teixeira badly in the opening seconds. However, Teixeira remained poised and he was able to land a takedown. Once the fight got to the ground, it was all Teixeira.

However, in the third round, Santos appeared close to another finish. A massive left hook floored Teixeira. Santos followed up with vicious shots on the ground, but Teixeira wouldn’t go away. Teixeira reversed the position to end up on top.

Following that, an exhausted Santos gave up his back. Once Teixeira had his back, the end was near. Teixeira locked up a rear naked choke and forced Santos to tap out. This was the fifth straight UFC victory for the 41 year old Teixeira who’s enjoying a massive career resurgence.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 13?

There should be a really clear answer to this question. Following UFC Vegas 13, Glover Teixeira should be getting a shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship. The man deserves a shot after stringing together five straight victories.

This fight was originally looked at as a title eliminator. However, it’s not that clear anymore. The prior weekend saw Dana White announce that middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, would be getting the next crack at Jan Blachowicz. 

With that in mind, it appears that the UFC will have to figure out something else for Teixeira. Teixeira is in a really tough spot right now. If he decides to compete again before getting his title shot, there aren’t a ton of fights out there for him.

One potential option would be a rematch with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. Rumble will be making his return to the UFC in 2021. When fought previously, Teixeira was knocked out in 14 seconds. Perhaps a rematch is in order considering a title shot might not happen anytime soon.

What’s next for Thiago Santos after UFC Vegas 13

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This past weekend at UFC Vegas 13, Thiago Santos (21-8) made his return after being out for well over a year due to knee injuries. Santos pushed Jon Jones to the limit in their title fight and he did it after tearing his knee up in the second round of their fight.

For that reason, many were excited to see the formal UFC title challenger return to action. The general thought was that he would be able to finish his opponent. His opponent was another former title challenger in 41 year old Glover Teixeira (32-7).

Teixeira has turned his UFC career completely around. The 41 year old was looking for his fifth straight victory inside the octagon. The fight started how most thought it would. A big Santos flurry wobbled Teixeira badly. However, the veteran maintained his composure and used his wrestling to get the fight down.

Santos really had no answer for the ground game of Teixeira. After that initial flurry, Teixeira went on to dominate the rest of the first and second rounds. Then, Santos floored Teixeira with a massive left hook to start the third. He appeared close to be finishing the fight.

Santos emptied the tanks looking for the finish, but Teixeira wouldn’t go away. Once again, Teixeira got Santos down, and got immediately to his back. Once there, Santos found himself in rear naked choke where he was forced to tap.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 13?

This was not the UFC return that Thiago Santos was looking for. There were moments in the fight were he looked sensational. However, those were outdone by his lack of defense on the ground and the wrestling skills of Glover Teixiera.

If Santos would have come out and stopped Teixeira in the first round, he would have made a really strong case for a title shot. However, now he must go back to the drawing board and look to improve for his next UFC outing.

In looking at the rankings, there are a couple of fights that could make sense for Santos. A fight with Aleksandar Rakic is one that I think a lot of people would be interested in. Or perhaps, Santos could welcome back Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in his next fight.

State of the light heavyweight division after UFC 253

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Corey Anderson

This past weekend at UFC 253, a new light heavyweight champion was crowned. This was the first light heavyweight champion not named Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier since 2011. The new UFC light heavyweight king has some serious Polish Power.

Jan Blachowicz (27-8) completely dominated Dominick Reyes (12-2) this past Saturday to claim the UFC light heavyweight title. Blachowicz has gone through a career resurgence since 2017 that has seen him go 8-1 on his way to capturing UFC gold.

It was clear from the very beginning of the fight that Blachowicz had an advantage. His power took Reyes by surprise, and as a result, Reyes seemed extremely gun shy. In the second round, Blachowicz landed a massive flurry that finished the fight.

Blachowicz became the first male UFC champion from Poland. He became just the second Polish champion in history alongside Joanna Jedrzejczyk. So after UFC 253, where do we go from here and what is the status of the light heavyweight division?

What’s next after UFC 253?

There are going to be two storylines to follow in the coming weeks when it comes to the light heavyweight division. The first and most obvious storyline is the UFC‘s pound for pound best fighter in the world, Jon Jones.

After years of reigning over the division, Jones vacated his UFC light heavyweight title. Jones seemed more interested in moving to heavyweight, although he did tease a potential return to the division on Saturday night after Blachowicz won the title.

At the moment, I think Jones is going to stay on course to fight at heavyweight, but who knows. Assuming Jones doesn’t return, all eyes will shift to the November contest between Glover Teixiera and Thiago Santos. The winner of that fight will be first in line to face the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Another name to keep your eyes on is Anthony “Rumble Johnson. Johnson has re-entered the USADA testing pool and is planning on competing in the first half of 2021. Rumble is known as one of the most feared knockout artist in UFC light heavyweight history.

Dominick Reyes will need to regroup after his second straight UFC loss, but there are a few other top contenders in the division. Jiri Prochazka and Aleksandar Rakic are two names to keep your eyes on. Exciting times in a new and fluid UFC light heavyweight division.

UFC 253 Co-Main Preview: Who will be the new UFC light heavyweight champion?

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Dominick Reyes

For the first time since 2011, the UFC will have a light heavyweight champion not named Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier. Dominick Reyes (12-1) and Jan Blachowicz (26-8) will battle tomorrow night for the vacant UFC light heavyweight crown.

There hasn’t been much parody in the division since Shogun Rua held the title. After Jon Jones won the belt at UFC 128, the division was ruled by him. The only time the belt changed hands was when Jones’ outside issues stripped him from the title.

In those times, Daniel Cormier led the charge. However, with Cormier retired and Jones moving to heavyweight, it’s a new and exciting day in the UFC‘s light heavyweight division. The two top contenders are fighting to lead the charge on this new day.

In addition to this UFC title fight, there is a title eliminator between Thiago Santos and Glover Teixiera booked for November, and Anthony Rumble Johnson is coming back. Exciting times are ahead for the light heavyweight division.

UFC 253 Prediction

For Dominick Reyes, he’s trying to right the wrong that occurred at UFC 247. In the eyes of many, Reyes did the unthinkable which is beat Jon Jones. However, all three of the judges gave the fight to Jon Jones. There were some debatable rounds, but many thought Reyes won.

A lot of people look at this fight more as a UFC title defense for Reyes versus him challenging to become champion. The uncrowned UFC champion will have his hands full tomorrow night, but he does have the skills to match.

Reyes has been very good since making his debut back in 2017. Outside of a controversial win against Volkan Oezdemir, Reyes has looked relatively dominant in his UFC career. His athletic ability, good/long striking and strength have made him a handful.

Standing across from Reyes tomorrow will be some Polish Power. Also since 2017, Jan Blachowicz has turned the corner in his UFC career. He had one slip up in a TKO loss to Thiago Santos, but outside of that, he’s been very good.

He’s racked up wins over Jared Cannonier, Jimi Manuwa, Nikita Krylov, and Jacare Souza. However, his most impressive victories have been his knockouts over Corey Anderson and former UFC middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold.

Blachowicz will definitely have the power advantage between the two men when they step into the cage for the UFC light heavyweight title tomorrow night. It’s going to be a fantastic fight.

In terms of a prediction, this one is easier for me to predict than the main event. I think Reyes is going to give Blachowicz a lot of issues with his speed. While the reach actually favors Jan, Reyes does a better job of striking from range.

I think Reyes is also going to show much improved cardio over the span of this one. I expect both guys to have their moments throughout the fight, but I think Reyes will do enough to win it on the scorecards. This time, Reyes will walk out of the cage with a UFC title.

Prediction: Dominick Reyes by Unanimous Decision

UFC: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson returning to light heavyweight

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Anthony Rumble Johnson

The state of the UFC‘s light heavyweight division is extremely fluid at the moment. Today, Jon Jones announced that he will be vacating the light heavyweight title.

Also, it was announced that the UFC is planning on having Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz fight at UFC 253 which will likely be for the title although not confirmed.

If that wasn’t enough news in the light heavyweight division, arguably the most terrifying knockout artist in the history of the division will be making his return.

Rumble back in the UFC

It has long been known that Anthony “Rumble” Johnson would be making his UFC return at some point. We just really didn’t know when that return would happen. We also didn’t know which weight class Rumble would be fighting in.

As Brett Okamoto reported, Rumble will be going back down to light heavyweight. The same division that saw Rumble make two runs to a title shot only to be stopped by Daniel Cormier twice.

The second loss to Cormier came at UFC 210 back in 2017. That night, Rumble announced that he would be stepping away from fighting. He was emotional in announcing his retirement.

Outside of his two losses to Cormier, Johnson went 6-0 in the light heavyweight division with five first round knockouts. Those knockouts came over guys like Glover Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson, and current two division Bellator champion, Ryan Bader.

It will be very interesting to see how quickly the UFC decides to push Rumble. Will he get a crack at the title right away or will they give him a top contender like a Jiri Prochazka in his first fight back?

It will be interesting to see this whole thing unfold. Rumble will have to be in the USADA pool for six months before he can return to the octagon. With that, expect to see Rumble back in the first part of 2021.

 

UFC: Realistic Super Fights to Make

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There has been a lot of craziness going on in the UFC with people calling for super fights, and others like Jon Jones saying they will walk away until he gets compensated for a super fight. With all these discussions going on, I started thinking about the UFC and super fights that could be made. Right now, the sports world is still not back to normal, but the UFC is pushing forward with events. The UFC will eventually bring fans back to the arena and when they do, there are several realistic options for super fights. Let’s breakdown some of the fights that the UFC could make to earn large paydays for the company and the fighters who are seeking a fat check.

Francis Ngannou vs Anthony Johnson

For this first one, I wanted to target a fight that could realistically come together quickly. This could be a fight that comes together before fans are even back in the stands. You might question this fight at first, but once you think about it, it starts to make sense. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6) hasn’t fought in over three years since he lost to Daniel Cormier for the second time at UFC 210. Johnson announced after the fight that he would be stepping away from the sport to pursue other avenues. The decision came as a shock to everyone because Rumble was peaking in his career. He was coming off of a five-year stretch where he went 12-2 with nine knockouts. The only man to defeat him was Cormier, who did it twice. When Rumble was knocking people out, it was scary to watch. His knockouts over Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, and Jimi Manuwa were impressive, to say the least. Rumble announced late last year that he would be returning to the UFC, but he said he hadn’t decided which division he would compete in. He originally said that he intended to compete at heavyweight, but he suggested that he might try to drop down to 205 for another run at the light heavyweight title. I think he should come back to the heavyweight division to stand across the octagon from someone possibly even more terrifying.

Is there anyone more terrifying in the UFC right now than Francis Ngannou (15-3)? Ngannou lost his way with two lackluster performances a couple of years ago, but since then, he’s fought four times with none of those fights going more than 90 seconds. Ngannou has rattled off four consecutive knockouts against Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Last month, Ngannou took on the undefeated, Rozenstruik in a matchup that was much anticipated. Rozenstruik called Ngannou out, and Francis made him aware that calling him out was a mistake. Ngannou destroyed the previously unbeaten Rozenstruik in just 20 seconds. I think it’s safe to say that Ngannou is the hardest hitter that the UFC has ever seen. It’s remarkable to say, but he reminds me of a prime Mike Tyson when he fights. Right now, Ngannou is left without a dance partner. There was some back and forth with him and Jon Jones, but that fight does not look like it’s going to materialize. Ngannou should be fighting for the title, but Cormier and champion, Stipe Miocic are in the process of negotiating the conclusion to their trilogy. Ngannou needs someone to fight, and Rumble Johnson needs a big name for his return. Sign me up right now for two of the most prolific knockout artists in UFC history going head to head. Whoever wins the fight would be first in line to fight for the title after Cormier and Miocic fight. You know this fight will not go to the ground and you have to believe that someone would be going to sleep. It’s a fight that gets my heart racing just thinking about it.

Amanda Nunes vs Valentina Shevchenko 3

Normally you wouldn’t consider a trilogy fight where one fighter is 2-0 in the series to be a super fight, but this isn’t your normal circumstance. The two best female fighters in the world are Amanda Nunes (19-4) and Valentina Shevchenko (19-3). I completely disagree with the UFC’s women’s P4P rankings where they moved strawweight champion, Weili Zhang, ahead of Shevchenko. No disrespect to Zhang, but she doesn’t have the resume to be ranked ahead of Shevchenko. Shevchenko has looked invincible since the UFC created the flyweight division. She is 5-0 and not a single one of those fights was even remotely competitive. Shevchenko is truly the full package with no weaknesses in her game. Her last loss came as UFC 215 to Amanda Nunes. I believe that Nunes is the greatest female fighter of all time, but I believe that Shevchenko won the last fight between the two of them.

Since 2015, the only person to make Amanda Nunes look mortal is Valentina Shevchenko. Nunes has put together a resume that puts her easily in the top spot to be the greatest female fighter of all time. If you think of the all-time greats in women’s MMA, she’s beaten them. When you think of the most famous names in women’s MMA, you think of Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm. Well, Nunes beat all four of those women and none of them made it to the second round. She is the only woman in UFC history to hold a belt in two weight classes at the same time. The only real challenge she’s had was that fight against Shevchenko. These two women are just operating on an entirely different level. Nunes is fighting Felicia Spencer this Saturday at UFC 250 and once Shevchenko recovers from her injury, she will likely be facing off with Joanne Calderwood. I don’t see either challenger posing a threat to the two champions. Assuming they both get through those fights victorious, I think you should pair them up again. If you look at the rankings, there is no one in those weight classes who will give them trouble, and the toughest women in their divisions have already been defeated by them. The only fight that would make sense is pairing these two back up for a massive fight in terms of legacy. Shevchenko does have the opportunity for a second champion versus champion fight in the future with Zhang, but I think Zhang needs to fight Rose Namajunas and perhaps another fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk before she moves up to 125 to challenge “Bullet”.

Jon Jones vs Israel Adesanya

This is the matchup that you dream about when you think about super fights. Two undefeated champions facing off with some heat between the two of them. There is no question that these two men do not like each other, and this fight would be massive for UFC fans all over the world. Israel Adesanya (19-0) burst onto the UFC just two years ago, but he’s already blossomed into one of the biggest stars in the sport. Sporting a perfect 19-0 record, Adesanya has defeated Robert Whittaker, Kelvin Gastelum, Yoel Romero, and Anderson Silva in the last 17 months. The Nigerian native has dazzled fans with his flashy striking style and his confident personality. Adesanya has a little work to do in his own division before moving up to 205, but “The Last Stylebender” already has a time frame for his move. Adesanya will fight the undefeated, Paulo Costa (13-0), at some point this year. If Adesanya gets through Costa, his last fight before a move up would likely be a rematch with Robert Whittaker or a fight with Darren Till depending on who wins their fight in July. Adesanya says that he wants to come after Jon Jones in 2021.

Jon Jones (26-1-1) is in a little bit of a weird spot. Widely considered the greatest MMA fighter of all-time, Jones is currently in a contract dispute with the UFC. Jones’ last three fights didn’t sell extremely well, and Jones didn’t give fans a reason to want to tune in. Jones has almost looked like he’s just been going through the motions in his last couple of fights. When he came back and won the title against Alexander Gustafsson, Jones had that killer instinct. He finished Gustafsson and made a statement in doing so. Since then he’s had okay decision victories over Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes. The Santos fight was a split decision, and a lot of people believed he lost the fight to Reyes. Jones seems to be the victim of fighting to his competition level. When he doesn’t see someone as a major threat, he just goes through the motions in the fight. Jones had been asking for a fight with UFC heavyweight star, Francis Ngannou, which led to this contract dispute. Jones wants to get paid more, and he probably should get paid more. However, from the UFC’s perspective, they are looking at a guy who hasn’t sold well in his last few outings which doesn’t give them the incentive to pay Jones more. Jones has said he would vacate the title due to all of this, and if he goes through with that, this super fight kind of goes out the window. This fight would need to be for the light heavyweight title, but if Jones leaves the UFC for a while, the steam behind this super fight goes with him. I think the UFC will work things out with Jones and he will defend his title towards the end of the year. Assuming Jones gets through that fight victorious, he can wait for Adesanya. If both guys take care of business, the UFC should look to book Adesanya/Jones for the light heavyweight title at International Fight Week next July at the newly built Allegiant Stadium which holds over 60,000 fans.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor 2

Did you think there’d be a super fight list without the biggest draw in the history of the sport? Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) and Conor McGregor (22-4) are the two highest-paid fighters in the UFC. They are global stars who sell at the highest level and they hate each other. Khabib Nurmagomedov is arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world. The man is an absolute animal who has never really been challenged in his 28 fights which sounds insane. Nurmagomedov has mauled every man that has stepped across the cage from him, and his last two performances have been his best showings so far. Last September, Nurmagomedov fought Dustin Poirier for the undisputed lightweight championship. Poirier had captured the interim lightweight title, and came into the fight with an incredible amount of momentum coming off wins against Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway. Many people thought Poirier would give Nurmagomedov trouble, but there was no trouble at all. There were a couple of times where Poirier threatened Khabib, but for the most part, it was a one-sided mauling. Prior to that fight, Nurmagomedov faced off against the famous Irishman at UFC 229. Nurmagomedov dominated that fight even rocking McGregor on the feet. Khabib would go on to submit McGregor in the fourth round. Afterwards, a brawl broke out which saw “The Eagle” attack McGregor’s corner, and Nurmagomedov’s corner attacked McGregor. There is just too much there between the two men to not run the fight back. The one hurdle standing in the way at the moment would be interim champion, Justin Gaethje. Gaethje and Nurmagomedov are scheduled to fight later in the summer to early in the fall.

Conor McGregor is the biggest star in UFC history and there’s not really a close second. McGregor soared to fame and became the first fighter in UFC history to hold a belt in two weight classes simultaneously. After he destroyed Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title at UFC 205, McGregor jumped to the world of boxing to fight Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match which netted McGregor a $100 million payday. After the Mayweather fight, many wondered if McGregor would ever return to the sport of MMA. The UFC stripped him of both of his titles and the divisions moved on. Nurmagomedov won the lightweight title while McGregor sat on the sidelines. McGregor would make headlines for his actions outside the octagon which included attacking a bus that held the lightweight champion, Nurmagomedov. There was so much heat between the two men leading up to their fight at UFC 229. Following the loss, McGregor stepped away from the sport for another lengthy layoff. Throughout 2019, McGregor seemed to be getting back to his roots. He was starting to get his personal life in order, and he seemed to be dedicating himself back to the sport that made him a superstar. It was announced that McGregor would return against Donald Cerrone back in January. McGregor never looked better, destroying Cowboy Cerrone in just 40 seconds. There is no question as to what is the biggest fight the UFC can possibly make. No disrespect to Justin Gaethje, but the biggest fight the UFC can make is Conor McGregor getting his second chance at the undisputed champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Obviously, Gaethje will get the next shot as the interim champion, but I can promise you that the UFC front office will be praying for a Nurmagomedov victory. A Nurmagomedov/McGregor rematch for the UFC lightweight championship would be the biggest fight in the history of the sport.