It's going to be a 'Super Sunday' for combat sports fans in India as Irishman Conor McGregor takes on Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, USA in UFC 229. They will battle it out for the lightweight title. The showdown is expected to be the biggest pay-per-view fight in mixed martial art (MMA) history.
What makes this fight interesting is the lead-up to it. McGregor has built up an animosity towards his opponent that overflowed when he and a gang of friends attacked a bus Khabib was on in New York earlier this year. Since then, both the athletes have drawn swords with their off-the octagon insults and brawl.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is the current lightweight champion and with his record of 26-0, he is considered one of best lightweight fighters in MMA.
McGregor is going to fight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after a 693-day layoff, the longest of his career. Before the break, McGregor was both the UFC's lightweight and featherweight champion. In between, he boxed Floyd Mayweather Jr. last and ended up losing the bout. His MMA record is 21-3.
Both the athletes have a distinct style of play- McGregor's punching power is formidable and unquestionable, while Nurmagomedov might be the best grappler in the game — and neither man excels at the other's specialty. The stark contrast in strengths makes this matchup tough to predict, even if Nurmagomedov is the favorite in the Vegas sports books.
Let’s all wait for the fight and see for ourselves who the actual winner is.
The fight is part of UFC 229 and will be telecast in India on Sony ESPN & Sony ESPN HD from 07:30 on Sunday.