Conor McGregor is currently training hard to return to form after a brutal knockout defeat at the hands of Dustin Poirier. However, a significant portion of the UFC community and his own fanbase doubt whether the former champion can ever be as dominant as he once was.
After suffering an excruciating knockout defeat to Dustin Poirier, the ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor is training heavily to rebound back into the sport. Few of his fans and avid UFC followers believe that the former UFC champion will not be able to rediscover his dominance inside the Octagon.
The loss to Poirier was a first for McGregor, representing the first time he was stopped via TKO. This decline has led many to question his future, including the former lightweight king, Khabib Nurmagomedov. The two share a volatile history defined by deep personal animosity and a fight that shattered all UFC revenue records.
Although Khabib has made it clear that he isn't interested in stepping back into the cage with McGregor, he believes the Irishman is unlikely to ever recapture the momentum or the elite skill level he possessed during his prime.
In a recent chat with Magomed Ismailov, an ACA fighter, Khabib explained his philosophy that a man simply cannot hit the absolute pinnacle of his physical and technical ability twice in a single career.
Despite the legendary bitterness of their feud, the Russian champion clarified that his comments weren't a personal attack on McGregor. He views it as a general rule of sports science and athletics that applies to anyone in MMA, including McGregor's current struggle in the lightweight division.
Nurmagomedov expanded on this by distinguishing between individuals and collectives. He noted that while a sports team—like Real Madrid—can experience multiple golden eras through new recruits and system changes, an individual athlete relying on their own body cannot regain a lost prime.
Since his loss to Khabib at UFC 229, McGregor has only stepped into the Octagon twice. He is currently in preliminary discussions for a trilogy fight with Poirier this summer. If this bout happens, it will be the ultimate test to see if McGregor is truly washed up or if he can still compete for the 155-pound title.