What’s more iconic in the UFC than the bad blood rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov? ‘The Eagle’ dominated the UFC’s biggest returning star inside the Octagon, submitting him in front of a packed crowd at the T-Mobile Arena at UFC 229. What followed was a full-blown riot between the two camps, with punches flying from all directions. Brings back some memories, doesn’t it?
There have been many heated rivalries throughout MMA history. Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier, for example, was just as personal. Two of the most coveted light heavyweights almost tore each other apart before the fight. How about Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal? They went from close friends sharing a single couch to sworn enemies. And their beef even spilled outside the cage and into the courtroom. However, there’s something truly special about Conor vs. Khabib.
While the discussions over other rivalries have died down a bit with time, fans have kept the $17 million gate rivalry alive through their talks. Clips and edits from the infamous pre-fight press conference. Where Conor was spewing heat from his mouth and later got battered, that still surfaces on the internet. Some also share the buildup and backstory behind their fight, which made the encounter feel even grander than it already was.
One such picture also started making the rounds on the internet. Conor McGregor had just knocked out Jose Aldo, the greatest featherweight champion, in just 13 seconds at UFC 194. The audience was rejoicing, watching ‘The Notorious’ lift the 145-pound gold, which many believed was an inevitable reality. However, among them stood Khabib Nurmagomedov, giving a cold stare to his future opponent, as if he had already started plotting the fight.
Well, that’s insane.
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This decade-old picture caught the fans’ attention, and they couldn’t help but bring back the old memories once again. They dove into the storyline, and since it’s the internet, no discussion comes without a sprinkle of banter. So, let’s check out what the netizens had to say.
Fans react to Khabib’s cold stare at Conor McGregor’s iconic UFC 194 win
One fan commented, “Well, that’s insane,” and honestly, it is. Khabib staring from afar while McGregor celebrated, without either of them having the slightest idea how the future would unfold, is a pretty wild thought. Another fan pointed out, “I don’t think at this stage Khabib had any issues with Conor.” That’s true, as their rivalry didn’t begin until McGregor moved up to the lightweight division and became champion.
Then another fan followed up with an interesting fact: “Khabib actually liked Conor at the time and even shouted him out on Twitter with Conor’s merch—plus, they took a photo together.” The user was referring to the infamous backstage photo taken at UFC 178, shortly after Conor defeated Dustin Poirier.
One fan even spotted a similarity: “Ilia staring at Max KO’ing Gaethje moment.” The user drew a parallel to Ilia Topuria looking shocked after Max Holloway’s knockout at UFC 300, only to later win the UFC 308 fight with a stunning knockout of his own. Then another user just summed up every fight fans’ feelings, “This picture is a prime example of why I love the fight game so much, the feeling is something I can’t quite explain to people who wonder why I do.”
That’s definitely true! These pictures are lifelong memories for UFC fans. They tell a story and bring back all the moments that made us fall in love with the sport. That being said, what do you think about the decade-old picture of Khabib and Conor? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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