Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov had a storied rivalry in the UFC. The events before, after, and during their fight attracted too much notoriety. McGregor has made a lot more money through fighting and other business endeavors. However, Ben Askren stated the Irishman is jealous of the Russian MMA legend.
Askren, a former champion at Bellator and ONE FC, didn’t achieve the same success in the UFC. However, he shares his thoughts about UFC matters in the YouTube show with Daniel Cormier, Funky and the Champ. The Irishman recently dissed the Dagestani, and Askren stated it was due to jealousy.
He’s [Conor McGregor] got all the money in the world, but deep down, what he wanted to be was the most respected fighting champion on planet Earth. No amount of money can make up for that. That’s what Khabib [Nurmagomedov] is. Khabib is a fighting champion that everyone has a deep amount of respect for because of the way he lived his life.
Ben Askren via Funky and the Champ
Askren stated McGregor wishes to have the same life as Khabib. However, Askren attributed McGregor to having made wrong choices in life with recreational drugs and women of questionable behavior. Nonetheless, Askren stated McGregor is a fighter capable of defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
McGregor’s recent criticism of Nurmagomedov was due to the latter’s alleged tax evasion problem in Russia. He had also dissed Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, Kamaru Usman, and others. Usman had responded sternly to the criticism levied against him.
Ben Askren previews UFC 303 main event
Conor McGregor will take on Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303, the International Fight Week PPV. The welterweight matchup will see the former two-division champion return from a three-year absence to take on the ex-three-time Bellator lightweight champion, who has also not fought in some time.
Ben Askren had previewed the McGregor vs. Chandler matchup on Funky and the Champ. Askren found the matchup interesting. Askren stated the fight won’t be like McGregor fighting Donald Cerrone, an inferior opponent, after a lengthy layoff.
Michael [Chandler] is a very compelling opponent for Conor [McGregor] right now, and we know that someone’s likely getting knocked out…I don’t see any problem with 170. I think their most competitive weight is 155, but if they both don’t want to cut a lot of weight and want to feel good and do a lot of promotion, then 170 is probably best.
Ben Askren via Funky and the Champ
If victorious against Chandler, McGregor has the star power to bag a title shot at welterweight or lightweight. If Dustin Poirier upsets champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, the Irishman would have an easier path to title triumph.
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