Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov: St-Pierre Makes Prediction, Wants To Face Winner

Former two-weight UFC champion Georges St-Pierre gave his thoughts on how the fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor would play out.

It was made official Friday that McGregor would be returning to MMA action for the first time in nearly two years when he takes on Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title at UFC 229 in Las Vegas on Oct. 4.

A dream match-up for the combat sports world, many are already giving their predictions as to who will win and how, given the stylistic match-up.

Nurmagomedov, of course, is an unbeaten grappler, yet to lose a round, who can ragdoll his opponents with ease while McGregor is a superior striker with a sharpshooter of a left hand that can end a fight at any moment.

But for former welterweight kingpin St-Pierre, who is equally adept at both wrestling and striking, he believes Nurmagomedov will have more ways of winning the fight.

“To tell you the truth, I believe Khabib has more chance to win that fight than Conor," St-Pierre said, as per Fox Sports Australia. "Conor has one way to win the fight — it will be if he catches him on the way in, standing up. Khabib, I think has more chance to win. He can by submission on the ground, he can win by ground and pound, if he goes to decision, the chances are very likely that it’s Khabib that’s going to win. I see more ways for Khabib than I see for Conor."

"It’s going to turn a lot of the spotlight. Conor is the biggest draw of the sport of all time. Let’s say you say to me, you have to bet your house on the fight; you have no choice. You have to [choose] one or the other, I believe Khabib."

St-Pierre would also be interested in facing the winner. The French-Canadian returned to the octagon after four years to defeat Michael Bisping at UFC 217 last November to win the middleweight title.

Expected to unify the title against interim champion at the time Robert Whittaker, St-Pierre would instead vacate the title just a month afterward, though he was diagnosed with a case of ulcerative colitis.

He has not ruled out a second return to the octagon either and believes a fight with either McGregor or Nurmagomedov would even further his legacy as arguably the greatest fighter of all time. However, he is not so sure the UFC will allow him to fight for another title.

"I would be interested in that fight," he added, as per MMA Weekly. "That’s a win-win situation. It’s a legacy upgrade and it’s good money, it’s going to be a good fight. However, I fought at 170 [pounds] and I relinquish the title, I fought at 185 and I relinquished the title, I don’t think the UFC will let me fight for the title at 155. They will be afraid I will relinquish and I left the division in ruins."