Flashback: Top MMA Coaches' pick for UFC 229: Conor vs Khabib

[Peli]

Ray Longo, LAW MMA

• I think Khabib gets it down early, wears him out and gets him out of there with a submission in the second or third round.

Mark Henry, New Jersey striking coach

• I'm friendly with Khabib, and I hope it's a smashfest. You throw in what Conor has said about his brother and his father. I hope Khabib smashes him, and I think he'll do it in the first round.

Rener Gracie, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy

• Based on the history of all their fights, I have to go with the grappler, Khabib, because it's close to my heart.

Danny Castillo, Team Alpha Male

• If I had to pick a winner, I would go with Khabib by TKO in the third round.

Firas Zahabi, Tristar MMA

• The first round is going to let us know. Either it's a quick KO for McGregor in the first round, or Khabib takes it away after that. It's 50-50. Whoever wins is going to win head and shoulders going away.

Henri Hooft, HKickboxing striking

• At the end of the day, if I have to pick somebody, Khabib has been more active. It's difficult once you've made it big and you've made a lot of money, although Conor seems to enjoy this. It's difficult to pick, but I have to give Khabib the edge: TKO, Round 4.

Jason Parillo, RVCA VA Sport

• Khabib picked Holly Holm to beat my fighter, Cris Cyborg, so I'm going to pick Conor McGregor [laughs].

Mike Brown, American Top Team

• I favor Khabib, but I've been wrong a lot with Conor...But I think Khabib will go in looking to do what he always does. It's similar to [welterweight] Colby Covington. Those successful grapplers are having a lot of success with heavy pressure and a good gas tank.

Duane Ludwig, Ludwig MMA

• I see Conor getting Khabib exposed on a takedown and catching him on the way in with the left hand. I've seen some openings in Khabib's last three fights that I'm pretty sure Conor sees as well. Conor by knockout in the first round.

Din Thomas, American Top Team

• The first two minutes will determine the fight.

Duke Roufus, Roufusport MMA

• I can't pick who's going to win.

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...ak-khabib-nurmagomedov-conor-mcgregor-ufc-229

 

[Felsh]

The most important thing is believing in yourself

 

[Luckyme]

These are all folks who were friends with or trained with Khabib. The majority of the MMA media favored Conor.

 

[CashMoney1991]

to me it was obvious that Khabib was gonna win easily, Conor has bad grappling and that is Khabib's biggest strength

 

[Peli]

as a fan, I didn't know what to expect. Up until the press conference, I didn't have much issue with conor, didn't like that he tweeted and deleted that Abdulmanap was a quivering coward before the press conference, but didn't know it was going to be emotionally charged at the press conference or really that much at that fight.

I kinda didn't want both to lose. I was hoping Conor was going to extend an olive branch and show humility if he lost(even if khabib refuested to shake his hand like he said he wasn't going to do), but it was too far gone by that point. I understand why Khabib did want he did. Can't just forget this dude threw a dolley through the window.

 

[BusterBarry]

Up until the press conference, I didn't have much issue with conor,

I kinda didn't want both to lose.

Peli were you conrat fanboy?!

 

[Peli]

Peli were you conrat fanboy?!

Yeah, I liked Conor's featherweight run. I liked Khabib too. I was hoping it was going to be good banter, but it all started with the quivering coward tweet and went down from there.

 

[BusterBarry]

Yeah, I liked Conor's featherweight run. I liked Khabib too. I was hoping it was going to be good banter, but it all started with the quivering coward tweet and went down from there.

Conrat was always a nasty little bitch
Never really liked his ass

Dude called proudly all his fw opponents midgets (which they were to be fair lol) and then calls skinny lanky ass marijuana guy 3 times his size loool

 

[Peli]

Conrat was always a nasty little bitch
Never really liked his ass

Dude called proudly all his fw opponents midgets (which they were to be fair lol) and then calls skinny lanky ass marijuana guy 3 times his size loool

I like when he said Chad mendes was 5'4 and when Chad said he can't wrestle, Conor said I can rest my balls on your forehead

He was quippy. I like his trash talk with nate too, he killed nate on twitter the other week. I'm not a fan anymore, but I did like the featherweight run, it was must see tv. I kinda want him to win against dustin so he can call out a dagestani, call out Islam or Khabib. I'd watch islam vs Conor for the title; assuming either conor or Islam beat Chandler/Oliveira to take the title. Why not? Let's go.

 

[greenhawk]

Khabib shattered Conors glass jaw. He'll get KO'd again by Poirier.

 

[BusterBarry]

I like when he said Chad mendes was 5'4 and when Chad said he can't wrestle, Conor said I can rest my balls on your forehead

He was quippy. I like his trash talk with nate too, he killed nate on twitter the other week. I'm not a fan anymore, but I did like the featherweight run, it was must see tv. I kinda want him to win against dustin so he can call out a dagestani, call out Islam or Khabib. I'd watch islam vs Conor for the title; assuming either conor or Islam beat Chandler/Oliveira to take the title. Why not? Let's go.

Keep his leprechaun ass away from the title and any talk about title shots.

Hope Poirier beats him again and we finally get rid of him like RR

 

[Peli]

Keep his leprechaun ass away from the title and any talk about title shots.

Hope Poirier beats him again and we finally get rid of him like RR

I think it would make for a great moment for Conor to get on the mic, said Khabib where you at? I got your title, come and try and take it back. Or say something like I'll smack you boy, but after that I'll come smack you and set up a title fight with Islam. I think it would be great man, Normally I'm not really wiht the bullshit like that, but fuck it. I don't care about the other lightweights. Tony's washed now. Gaethje is cool, dustin is cool, but an Islam vs Conor fight would be nice, especially if Conor regained a little of himself.

Of course, I'll be rooting for islam to win, so he makes sure Khabib stays retired, like how he told RDA but it would be a cool callout, ngl.

 

[FKAri]

Those are all great predictions.