It’s a fight that MMA fans can happily welcome as the first headliner of 2020. Conor McGregor and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone battle it out at UFC 246 on Sunday, January 18th.
McGregor’s return to the UFC after 15 months sees him pitted against the man with the most wins and finishes in UFC history. Not much of a welcome is it?
Since his fourth-round defeat to UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in November 2018, The Notorious has moved up to welterweight in Sunday’s bout where a win could see him rematch Khabib, according to UFC President Dana White.
“He gets what he’s been waiting for, he gets what he’s been asking for. He has been chomping at the bit for the Khabib rematch. I think it’s no big secret.
“If he wins this weekend, he will get that shot at the title and it will be the biggest pay-per-view ever in UFC history.”
McGregor has vowed to win the rematch with adjustments to his training and strategy that includes grappling with team-mate and jiu-jitsu specialist Dillon Danis.
“Conor’s been one of the best jiu-jitsu guys that I’ve ever rolled with, like MMA-wise since I started training with him. His jiu-jitsu is another level, and it is always has been.” Danis told The Schmo.
“I think people just underestimate him for some reason, but if it does go to the ground, they’ll see,” Danis added. “They’ll see how good he is.”
But before that, he has to get past Cowboy who’s aware of his reputation for falling short in the most pressurised moments.
In his only title fight in UFC history, Cowboy lost to then Lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos in the first round via TKO as well as losing to the likes of Robbie Lawler, Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson in high-profile fights.
“I’m stoked, man, because this is, ‘Cowboy, can you fight the big fight? You never make it on the big fight. Well, motherf*cker, here’s the biggest one. Let’s see it.”
However, it’s not like McGregor isn’t under any pressure. His last MMA win came in 2016 against Eddie Alvarez when he became the first UFC fighter to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
He’s fought Floyd Mayweather in a blockbuster boxing match since then and faces a dangerous opponent in Cowboy whose ability to grapple (validated by his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) could prove difficult for McGregor.
However, those who believe Cerrone’s jiu-jitsu will be enough to defeat the former two-weight champion are highly mistaken.
“For all you analysts and experts that are out there asking these questions, you would be f*cking stupid to think this man doesn’t have a wrestling defence, or some kind of grappling defence, so for me to just walk in and just go, Oh, I’m going to take him down and submit him, get a real life man,” Cerrone said at the UFC 246 pre-fight press conference.
“We’re going to go there and fight our asses off. That’s what going to happen.”
We’ve seen a change in Conor’s behaviour throughout the build-up of the fight and has been more than cordial with Cowboy through the press runs but did remind him of the realities of the octagon.
“He has my respect and although there will be blood spilled on January 18th, it will not be bad blood.” McGregor said at the pre-fight press conference. “And for the “Mystic Mac” prediction it will be a KO.”
Nevertheless, it’s bound to be a classic fight and what a way to kick off 2020 for the UFC.
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