Former two division UFC champion Conor McGregor challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Title in the main event of UFC 229, albeit unsuccessfully.
In the lead up to the event, a comment was made by UFC President Dana White saying that McGregor is superior to the late, great Muhammad Ali when it comes to mental warfare.
While McGregor is always humbled to be compared to a combat sports legend, one thing the Irishman readily admits is that he is nowhere close to what Ali was.
“I always appreciate the comparison,” McGregor said on The Exchange With Megan Olivi. “I’m quick to say I am not anywhere close to Muhammad Ali. That was a special man. I am just a simple, young kid from Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland. And I’m here looking for a fight.”
McGregor echoed those same sentiments during the second UFC 229 press conference when those comparison were again brought up by a reporter. It should be noted that nobody from Ali’s family or other representatives have commented on the comparison to the former two division champion.
UFC 229 took place on Saturday, October 6 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor headlining, and the former emerging victorious.