Khabib Nurmagomedov has given a damning assessment on whether Conor McGregor could have beaten Dustin Poirier in their third collision if he didn’t injure his leg.
‘The Eagle’ fought both men in his career, defeating ‘The Notorious’ via neck crack and ‘The Diamond’ by rear naked choke.
Khabib Nurmagomedov gives his stance on the Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier feud
In his historic career, Khabib Nurmagomedov cemented his place as one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever seen.
Blessed with incredible grappling skills and an iron mentality, the Russian dismantled every opponent brave enough to set foot in the octagon with him.
During his tenure in the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, he compiled a tremendous resume, with Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier both featuring prominently on that list.
The Dagestani dominated the Irishman, dropping him en route to securing the submission. And while Poirier rocked him with a decent shot and almost locked in a guillotine, Khabib overcame the storm and finished the contest in the third segment.
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While both men lost to Khabib, they were able to maintain their star power, bouncing back with an iconic rivalry of their own.
Many years prior to their second meeting, the Dubliner rendered Poirier unconscious, leaving the American desperate for revenge, which he got in abundance in their rematch with a devastating knockout.
In their third encounter, Poirier dominated until McGregor broke his leg. Therefore, while one-sided up until that point, some still believe in the necessity of a fourth collision.
However, Khabib doesn’t think this is necessary, claiming regardless of whether the injury occurred or not, in their current forms, the Louisiana native will always get the better of his nemesis.
He told ESPN: “I think if they fight 100 times, Dustin is going to win 100 times. This is my opinion.”
Chael Sonnen gives his take on why Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor 2 never happened
After completing his mission and securing the win against McGregor, Khabib jumped the cage, prompting a massive brawl between the two camps.
Thus, while the result was undeniably comprehensive, the post-fight ruckus sparked the fuse for a potential second bout.
With Dana White keen to create another huge spectacle, he did his utmost to convince the Russian legend to run it back.
However, Chael Sonnen has now revealed the key mistake he believes the UFC president made that scuppered his chances of delivering the biggest rematch in the history of the sport.
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