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Believe it or not, before Khabib Nurmagomedov and his teammates triggered havoc at UFC 229, an actual fight went down between the Russian lightweight and Conor McGregor at the T-Mobile Arena.
McGregor certainly remembers his first sanctioned UFC fight in nearly two years, as he posted a massive round-by-round of the fight through Instagram on Monday night. In the post, McGregor explains everything that right and, more importantly, wrong in his loss against the now 27-0 Nurmagomedov.
After explaining how Nurmagomedov submitted him in the fourth round with a rear naked choke, McGregor goes on to treat a rematch for the belt as inevitable, but not something that will immediately happen.
In case you don’t want to read that whole thing through Instagram, here’s a breakdown of McGregor’s breakdown.
UFC 229: Conor McGregor’s Round 1 analysis
McGregor opens his post by claiming a partial victory in the first round, saying he won the round from a “fight standpoint”, but Nurmagomedov won from a “sport standpoint.”
The first round of the fight was a relatively tame affair. McGregor came out aggressively trying to strike Nurmagomedov, but the Russian soon posted a takedown and spent the rest of the round grappling, with neither side doing much damage. Basically, Nurmagomedov was in control for most of the round, but McGregor might have landed a shot or two more, so you can see where McGregor’s coming from.
Thoughts on my last fight.
Round 1. I believe from a sport standpoint, round 1 was his. Top position against the fence. Zero position advancement or damage inflicted. But top position.
From a fight standpoint the first round is mine.
Actual shots landed and a willingness to engage. Straight left early. Knee to the head on the low shot. Elbows in any and all tie up scenarios. Opponent just holding the legs against the fence for almost the entire round.
McGregor’s Round 2 analysis
This is McGregor’s longest breakdown of any round, as he has plenty to explain what came about in what he calls “the worst round of [his] fighting career” in the next section.
McGregor opened this round back on the attack, but Nurmagomedov unleashed a massive right hand that dropped McGregor. Nurmagomedov was soon in control of McGregor again and landed a flurry of blows until McGregor eventually worked his way out. The round was a massive win for Nurmagomedov, one that McGregor says changed the course of the fight.
McGregor readily admits fault in apparently never preparing for Nurmagomedov’s upright game, something he says he will learn from if he gets a rematch.
Round 2 he is running away around the cage before being blessed with a right hand that changed the course of the round, and the fight.
It was a nice shot.
After the shot I bounced back up to engage instantly, but again he dipped under to disengage. That is the sport and it was a smart move that led to a dominant round, so no issue. Well played.
If I stay switched on and give his stand up even a little more respect, that right hand never gets close and we are talking completely different now.
I gave his upright fighting no respect in preparation. No specific stand up spars whatsoever.
Attacking grapplers/wrestlers only.
That won’t happen again.
I also gave my attacking grappling no respect. To defense minded.
Lessons.
Listen to nobody but yourself on your skill set.
You are the master of your own universe.
I am the master of this.
I must take my own advice.
McGregor’s Round 3 analysis
McGregor doesn’t have much to say here, even though it was easily his best round of the fight. The Irishman stayed on his feet for that round and managed to do a little damage to Nurmagomedov, but obviously not nearly enough.
Round 3. After the worst round of my fighting career, I come back and win this round. Again walking forward, walking him down, and willing to engage.
McGregor’s Round 4 analysis
And here’s where it all went so wrong.
McGregor started out this round again with some momentum, but an aggressive takedown attempt from Nurmagomedov put him against the fence then on the ground. McGregor got back up on his feet, but never fully upright, and soon Nurmagomedov had him mounted and in a rear naked choke that ended the fight.
McGregor admits he made a “critical error” in exposing his back to Nurmagomedov, and says he was “beaten fair and square.”
Round 4. My recovery was not where it could have been here.
That is my fault.
Although winning the early exchanges in 4, he dips under again and I end up in a bad position with over 3 on the clock. I work to regain position and end up upright, with my back to the fence.
A stable position.
Here however, I made a critical error of abandoning my over hook at this crucial time, exposing the back, and I end up beaten fair and square.
Conor McGregor’s post-UFC 229 outlook
All in all, McGregor doesn’t seem too down by the end of the post. He might have a somewhat rosy recollection of what was a fairly convincing win for Nurmagomedov, but he claims to have learned from the mistakes he did make.
While McGregor treats a rematch as something that will definitely happen, he also offers that he’s willing to face another fighter if UFC opts to give Nurmagomedov a different opponent for his next title defense.
What can I say?
It was a great fight and it was my pleasure.
I will be back with my confidence high.
Fully prepared.
If it is not the rematch right away, no problem.
I will face the next in line.
It’s all me always, anyway.
See you soon my fighting fans I love you all ❤
McGregor doesn’t even both mentioning the post-fight brawl, an understandable decision given that he and Nurmagomedov are scheduled for a hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission where indefinite suspensions are on the line.
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