Off Guard: Ali Abdelaziz thinks ‘journeyman’ Conor McGregor should retire because ‘he’s not part of the elite’

Manager Ali Abdelaziz thinks Conor McGregor should retire and said he can no longer hang with the elite in the UFC.

Ali Abdelaziz thinks [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] should call it quits.

The renowned manager of the likes of UFC champions Khabib Nurmagomedov and Henry Cejudo acknowledges what McGregor has done in the sport, but thinks his best days are behind him.

“The man accomplished a lot in this sport – he made a lot of money. It’s good for him. But I think it was a mistake to stick around,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “I think he should retire. If he wants to beat the top fighter – or, you know what? – fight Nate Diaz, (Donald) ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, and make some money. But he’s not part of the elite. He can’t compete with Khabib, Tony Ferguson, Kamaru Usman or some of the elite competitors. He’s become actually a journeyman – make a lot of money, and it’s OK. He understands his place.”

McGregor is scheduled to make his return to the octagon at UFC 246 on Jan. 18 when he takes on Cerrone in a welterweight bout.

Abdelaziz is baffled at McGregor taking the fight 170 pounds, especially since he has continuously expressed interest in rematching UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov, who defeated McGregor by fourth-round submission at UFC 229.

“No hard feelings, but I don’t think he’s going to beat ‘Cowboy’ and fight Khabib next,” Abdelaziz said. “That’s not going to happen because he did not fight at 155 pounds. He did not fight the No. 1 contender. He chose to make money. And listen, him and the UFC can make money. They need to make money. It’s good for both of them. But he became irrelevant to us.”

UFC president Dana White on Thursday said McGregor wanted to fight at 170 pounds against Cerrone so it would be easier on his body. That way, with a win, he can turn around and fight Nurmagomedov next if Nurmagomedov beats Ferguson in April – and he wouldn’t have to cut to 155 pounds twice in a row.

The top contender at lightweight may be Justin Gaethje, who has three straight first-round knockouts, most recently over Cerrone.

Abdelaziz thinks McGregor should have fought Gaethje next if he wanted to rematch Nurmagomedov.

“Realistically, if you really want a rematch, who’s the guy to beat? The guy is Gaethje,” Abdelaziz said. “Gaethje knocked out ‘Cowboy.’ Nothing but respect for ‘Cowboy,’ but the whole thing is, you’re fighting ‘Cowboy’ at 170 pounds. It’s two things: You’re avoiding Khabib, (and) he’s definitely avoiding Gaethje. I guarantee you, because people understand that Gaethje is the type of guy, he’s going to take you to the very dirty, dark places. And if you’re not ready for it, he’s going to die.

“We saw Khabib take him to some dark places and he gave up. I understand he make a career decision. He understands if he fought with Gaethje, 98.9 percent he would lose, (and) 1.2 percent maybe he’s going to win. He doesn’t have enough balls, and his heart is not what people think.”

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Max Holloway talks Conor McGregor rematch

Max Holloway certainly isn’t looking past his opponent at UFC 245 but the idea of rematching Conor McGregor could be a possibility

Dana White explains why Conor McGregor’s next fight is at welterweight

Conor McGregor’s next fight being booked at welterweight surprised a lot of people. But according to Dana White, the move is calculated.

Some MMA fans were left scratching their heads when news broke [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s return to the UFC would be at 170 pounds.

At UFC 246 on Jan. 18, McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) will return to action to take on Donald Cerrone in the pay-per-view’s main event. Both men have most recently competed at lightweight. So why is the matchup taking place at welterweight?

On 101.6-FM in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, UFC president Dana White explained why the two former lightweights will fight at 170 pounds. According to White, McGregor asked for it.

“Conor is going to fight at 170 for this fight,” White said, “mainly because he doesn’t want to have to cut the weight to 155. Him and Cerrone have both fought at 170.”

In addition to the weight cut, White said McGregor’s main intent in fighting at welterweight will be to allow him a quick turnaround time. With lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov booked to fight Tony Ferguson in April, McGregor wants to be the next man in line.

“He’s hoping that he beats Cerrone and can turn right around and fight Khabib as quick as possible,” White said. “So he didn’t want to make the cut twice.”

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McGregor’s last in-cage appearance was against Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 229 in October 2018, a title fight he lost by fourth-round submission. Both fighters were suspended following the event due to a post-fight melee that broke out when Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage.

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Dana White: Conor McGregor told me he wants to fight Jorge Masvidal

According to UFC president Dana White, Conor McGregor is interested in a matchup with Jorge Masvidal.

According to UFC president Dana White, former dual champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] has his sights set on more than just his UFC 246 foe, Donald Cerrone.

In an interview with 101.6-FM in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, White said McGregor also has showed interest in a potential showdown with “BMF” champion [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]. McGregor’s fight against Cerrone will be at welterweight – the same weight class Masvidal competes in.

“Conor has told me he definitely wants a fight with Masvidal,” White said. “So we’ll see what happens.”

White didn’t elaborate further on the potential matchup and gave no indication of a timeline. However, he did say McGregor plans on getting another fight immediately after UFC 246.

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During his 2019 escalation in popularity, Masvidal said on numerous occasions he’d be interested in fighting McGregor. After winning the belt, Masvidal made it clear, however: He’s not going to beg for the superfight.

“I’m not a bully, either,” Masvidal said. “I’m not going to be one of these cyber bullies. If you don’t want to fight, I don’t want to fight. If you want to fight, I’m licking my chops. Man, we’re going shopping. We’re going to do it big. You know what I’m saying? That dude don’t want it.”

McGregor has stayed relatively quiet in recent months on social media – and has done very little official media. However, after Masvidal defeated Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in early November, McGregor alluded to his interest in a potential matchup with “Gamebred.”

Hey @BurgerKing, could I get a 3 piece with soda and a side chicken box please? Loads of salt and vinegar. Thanks

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 3, 2019

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Tito Ortiz is rooting for Donald Cerrone against Conor McGregor at UFC 246: ‘This is his time to shine’

UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz says he’s siding with Donald Cerrone ahead of “Cowboy’s” UFC 246 bout with Conor McGregor in January.

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag] has given his early backing to [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] ahead of “Cowboy’s” main event clash with [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] at UFC 246, saying McGregor’s recent out-of-cage behavior may come back to haunt him on fight night.

In an interview with Submission Radio, Ortiz said he was a big fan of both fighters, but admitted McGregor’s recent episode in which he struck a man in a Dublin pub left a sour taste in his mouth.

“I am (backing Cerrone), just because of Conor punching that old man on the barstool,” he said. “That was not respectful, man. And the guy got charged like $1,000 or something (expletive) like that. That is just baloney. Karma’s a (expletive), and it always bites everyone in the ass at the end of the day, and it always comes around, man.

“I like Conor. I think he’s an amazing guy. I just think that that wasn’t something you should do ever as a human being – not even just let alone a pro fighter, just as a human being in general. You always should respect your elders, and that’s always the right thing to do.”

Ortiz is all set for the latest chapter of his evergreen fighting career as he prepares to face former WWE champion Alberto Rodriguez at Combate Americas on Saturday. The former UFC light heavyweight champion said he likes Cerrone’s chances against McGregor, with the Irishman’s competitive inactivity, plus the fact the fight is taking place at 170 pounds both playing in Cerrone’s favor.

“Donald Cerrone is a tough guy. I love Donald Cerrone. He’s a good, good dude,” he said. “I really respect him and I think this is his time to shine, and I think he has a great chance of beating Conor.

“And it’s at 170. Conor actually is a 155-pounder, truthfully, and 145-pounder. So 170 is a big jump up for him. But I don’t know – did the time off help Conor? Sometimes when you get a little time off, it helps the body recover a little bit more. And Donald Cerrone’s been in some battles in his last couple of fights. So, it’s just one of those things.

“I just hope both the guys put on a great show, and I would like to see ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone get his hand raised. But I would like to see Conor put on a good fight.”

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Ali Abdelaziz on Conor Mcgregor vs. Justin Gaethje | Off Guard

You never know when “Gorgeous” George or “Goze” will catch somebody “Off Guard.” This time they catch up with Dominance MMA manager, Ali Abdelaziz.

Top sports social media influencers

Tony Ferguson expects Conor McGregor, Donald Cerrone ‘to go in there guns blazing’ at UFC 246

Tony Ferguson has an interesting prediction for the UFC 246 headliner between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone.

Everyone has their opinion about who will win the UFC 246 headliner between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag].

Perhaps owning an opinion worth a little bit more of your attention than the average Joe is UFC lightweight contender [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag].

A former interim lightweight champion, Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) seemingly was in the running to fight McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) next. Alas, the Irishman will face Cerrone (35-13 MMA, 22-10 UFC) next month at UFC 246.

When he joined “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” on Monday, Ferguson weighed in on how he sees the matchup playing out between his former divisional rivals.

“I have to say, if Cerrone kicks him in the chops, McGregor’s going to fall like a ton of bricks,” Ferguson said. “But like I always say, I’m going to go for the double knockout. I think they’re just going to go in there guns blazing. It’s going to be a good fight. I can’t wait to watch it.”

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Three months after McGregor and Cerrone settle business at welterweight, Ferguson will challenge lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the title. The fight will headline a pay-per-view event expected to be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York.

UFC 246 will take place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card will stream on pay-per-view following prelims expected to on ESPN/ESPN+.

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Spinning Back Clique: Is McGregor-Cerrone or Khabib-Ferguson more compelling?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” react to the latest news, notes and fight bookings, as well as look ahead to UFC on ESPN 7 this weekend.

Show rundown:

Finally, we can discuss [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] news that has to do with cagefighting, as the former two-division UFC champion was booked to headline UFC 246 against [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]. But the Jan. 18 fight isn’t taking place at lightweight; it’s taking place at welterweight. So, what exactly is at stake here?
It’s happening. … We think. … We hope. For the fifth time, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has been booked. The 155-pound title fight is set for what should be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York. Will the fifth time be the charm in us finally seeing this fight, and what can we expect from this point on?
Whether it’s MMA or grappling, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] just seems off. He was cut early before losing a decision to Nick Rodriguez last week at Polaris 12. Combine that with two devastating knockout losses in his last two MMA fights, as well recent comments that his heart isn’t into fighting anymore, and you’ve got to wonder: Where does he go from here with his combat sports career?
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag], who meets ex-WWE superstar Alberto El Patron this weekend in Combate Americas, got mad at MMA Junkie last week, calling us “click bait” for writing a story highlighting his comments about current UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]. “I think I can beat Jon Jones,” Ortiz said. “I think I have a good chance – I really do think I’ve got a good chance.” His words, not ours. So when you hear that, what’s your take on it?
UFC on ESPN 7 this Saturday features [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] in a heavyweight main event. And in the co-headliner, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] fights [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] at strawweight. Of those four fighters, who has the most to gain with an impressive victory?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above. And make sure to weigh in on McGregor vs. Cerrone in our poll below.

[opinary poll=”are-you-less-hyped-for-mcgregor-vs-cerro” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Top sports social media influencers

Few do social media better in their respective sports, and the entire sports world, than these 28 athletes.

While athletes becoming more than just talented individuals who help move the franchise in the right direction or add to the Gold medal count is not a new concept, social media’s rapid growth and capabilities have certainly changed the game. With the simple touch of a button, today’s top athletes can move the proverbial cultural needle, impacting interactions and the consumption of goods—even what we eat on Tuesdays.

But not all athletes who are on social media are created—or, in this case, retweeted—equally. International footballers currently reign supreme as some of the most influential, with a dash of tennis royalty and a wrestler who has inspired a ton of people to call that box of pizza they devoured their “cheat meal.” But when factoring in humanitarian efforts—as well as revenue from social posts and fan interactions—few ultimately do it better in their respective sports, and the entire sports world, than these 28 athletes.

LeBron James

Not many athletes—in any sport, in any part of the world—have taken advantage of social media better than LeBron James. His cultural impact as an athlete is nearly impossible to match, whether that be giving guys a reason to wear shorts with a suit, championing for the NCAA to change its act, or showcasing that an athlete can be “more.”

LeBron has some 97 million-plus followers across Instagram and Twitter, so when King James says #TacoTuesday…of course, there will be chants of the hashtag echoing at Staples Center or a social push for him to patent the phrase.

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