Conor McGregor hasn’t competed in any capability since July 2021.
The damaged leg in opposition to Dustin Poirier inarguably earned McGregor loads of time to get well on the sidelines, and had he opted to by no means battle once more, no person would have blamed the richest man in combined martial arts (MMA). He achieved fairly a bit throughout his rise, in any case. The Irish double champion’s peak was a excessive matched by only a few others, proving himself one of many sharpest knockout artists of all time throughout his heyday.
Peak McGregor was electrical, a drive of persona with the very best left hand within the enterprise.
Round that point, McGregor’s path crossed with Jeremy Stephens for the primary time (verbally, a minimum of). Throughout a UFC 205 pre-fight press convention — UFC 205 was the night by which McGregor captured a second world title by effortlessly toppling Eddie Alvarez — Stephens tried to interject himself into the combo of attainable McGregor opponents.
And he was practically laughed off the stage when McGregor dropped the enduring “Who da fook is that man?” line.
The higher a part of eight years later, we’ve come full circle.
McGregor’s inventory has fallen significantly, having gained twice in simply 5 bouts since then. He’s been in additional courtrooms than cages recently. Stephens, conversely, has been actively combating good competitors the entire whereas. He misplaced lots in that span, however Stephens has additionally fought 20 skilled bouts between MMA, boxing and bareknuckle.
That’s a complete profession!
Stephens was a great MMA fighter for a very long time, ok to be on UFC’s roster for 14 years and climb into the Featherweight rankings. He defeated legit foes like Dennis Bermudez, Gilbert Melendez and Josh Emmett, amongst others, within the course of and hardly misplaced to anybody who wasn’t a future, former or present Prime 10-ranked fighter.
The brawler has discovered a house in BKFC, too. Nonetheless simply 3-0 in his new sport, Stephens has already stopped identified skills in Jimmie Rivera and the aforementioned Alvarez. He’s imply, robust and heavy-handed as ever, which makes him excellent for the gritty violence of the squared circle.
McGregor owns a part of that ring, and he confronted off with Stephens final evening following the “Underground King” KO (watch it). McGregor claims to need the match up versus Stephens, which now within the 12 months of 2025, could be cheap. I don’t make the chances or absolutely comprehend how McGregor hype would issue into them, however I count on most of these within the know would favor “Lil Heathen” outright in the event that they sq. off sans-gloves.
The hypothetical match up serves as each a full circle second and demonstration of the drastic change of circumstance from 2017, when the concept of those two competing was considered as a literal joke.
The issue is it’ll stay hypothetical. McGregor does much more speaking about combating than really competing these days. He’ll be linked — in concept — to a return vs. Dan Hooker, Indian boxing exhibition vs. a Paul brother, bareknuckle debut vs. Mike Perry … after which nothing occurs. Final time UFC CEO, Dana White, commented on McGregor’s future, he pegged his return as Fall 2025, and the promotion has no intention of letting McGregor compete elsewhere.
All of it provides as much as one other embarrassing low level.
McGregor isn’t even allowed to battle a beforehand laughable opponent in a promotion he partially owns. He’ll nonetheless take any likelihood to leap into the highlight, however till he really begins competing or in some way buys his freedom from UFC, solely the failings are in focus. In truth, the person himself appears pink with hypertension and doesn’t even look sharp on the heavy bag anymore.
It’s getting actually, actually arduous to be optimistic in regards to the 36-year-old’s unhappy comeback.
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