McGregor (right) was completely defeated in a comeback after a year after retirement. [USA투데이=연합뉴스]
– Will McGregor’s era end as it is? Conor McGregor (33, Ireland), former UFC feather-lightweight champion, the best star in mixed martial arts, was completely defeated in a comeback after a year. McGregor (4th place in UFC) won Dustin Poiri (2nd place) at the 257 Lightweight (70kg) Main Event (Round 5) held in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE on the 24th (Korea time). · In the US), he was TKO in 2 minutes and 32 seconds in the second round. First KO’s loss. McGregor, who debuted at UFC in 2008, did not have a KO in 26 games (22 wins and 4 losses). Poirier, who gave TKO to McGregor in the first match in September 2014, swears in a rematch after six years and four months.
First KO in Poirier’s career
Former two weight class champions crumpled
– From the start of the game, McGregor was helpless by the opponent’s strategy. McGregor, whose primary weapon is a left-handed punch, has to step forward with his right foot in order to gain strength. Each time, he allowed a concentrated leg kick (leg attack) on the right calf. By the middle of the second round, he hit 18 leg kicks. Legs rose red. When we entered the second round, damage was accumulated and it was impossible to properly step on the right foot. The attack could not be avoided. At 2 minutes and 27 seconds, Poirier’s two-handed punches 10 consecutive hits. The last 10th right straight was put in the right face. McGregor sank into the octagon, and the referee stopped the game. American CBS Sports was said to be “extraordinary”.
McGregor is a superstar with both skill and popularity. He was the first UFC champion in two weight classes at the same time. After becoming the featherweight (66kg) champion in 2015, he raised the weight and in 2016 even wore a lightweight championship belt. He is a special striker who knocks out opponents with boxing and anomalous karate as his main weapon. In the meantime, he showed off a showmanship in which he backs down during the game and provokes the opponent, or constantly talks about his opponent. In 2017, he also fought a boxing battle against ’49 undefeated boxer’ Poloid Mayweather (44, USA). Fans call him’Super Villain’. McGregor has a whopping 38.6 million followers on Instagram. According to Forbes, income in 2020 was 48 million dollars (about 53 billion won), which is the 16th place in the world’s sports player income.
McGregor announced his retirement on Instagram in June last year, saying, “I’m bored now.” It was after winning Donald Seroni (38, USA) with TKO in January. Then, this time, he made a full comeback. Some point out that it is a trick to get a lot of charge. McGregor’s current charge is 5 million dollars (about 5.5 billion won), five times that of Poirier. McGregor swears, “I’ll finish it in 60 seconds,” but rather lose face. UFC representative Dana White (52, USA) is also worried. White wanted McGregor to win. Champion Habib Nurmagomedov (31, Russia), who declared his retirement by winning 29 matches, was preparing a’box-office plan’ to play a lightweight title fight with McGregor after reversing his retirement. After a humiliating defeat, McGregor seeks to restore his honor. “I’ll start over. I’ll keep fighting,” he stressed.
Reporter Pee Ju-young [email protected]
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