Conor McGregor believes he can succeed where Charles Oliveira failed against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.
Makhachev defeated Oliveira via second-round submission (arm-triangle choke) to capture the vacant UFC lightweight championship and cement his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
McGregor was impressed by what he saw from Makhachev in Abu Dhabi but says he has developed his own system of fighting to defeat the Dagestani should they potentially meet in the Octagon next year.
“Nice fight. nice performance,” McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, posted on social media in a since-deleted Tweet. “I have built all the tools to beat this style now versus before. Experience vs. s***. Face breaking shots from clinch and baby brain batter shots from bottom. And the rest of my repertoire yous know. Steel left leg. Cannon back hand. Wrist control.
“The thought of shutting down this system of fighting with my own developed system is quite intriguing to me. Whoever of them against. It’s not personal. It’s a skill evaluation and a fight. Even through generations. The [IMMAF’s], amateurs. A war of attrition. To the box.”
McGregor then shifted his attention to Makhachev’s coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, who submitted ‘The Notorious’ in a blockbuster fight at UFC 229 that went on to break all pay-per-view records.
“I have the system to hurt this style of fighting guys I am telling you,” McGregor wrote in another since-deleted Tweet. “Bro is a s*** jocks. Fat mouth, shut your mouth you done nothing tonight except go against father’s wishes and run. It’s not father’s plan completed yet, pal. You know. Your people know and they talk about you.”
McGregor is still sidelined after breaking his leg in a brutal injury TKO loss to Dustin Poirier last year and will be out of competition for at least another six months according to UFC president Dana White.