'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAcI/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAkeqgP//EACUQAAEDAgMJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgQAEhEiMQUGExQWISMzYv/aAAgBAQABPwDdbbZoZ5RIowx+FA5NVGJvqLMZfh9Z1TGukVP5pVzZBM5EDOKjEcutvbSv/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAxH/2gAIAQIBAT8AvitP/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAD/9oACAEDAQE/AMmr/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Conor McGregor reacted to Khamzat Chimaev's UFC 308 win over Robert Whittaker. Chimaev returned to competition after overcoming his mental and physical health struggles to take on Whittaker in the five-round non-title co-main event.
Many suspected that the Chechen-born fighter's lingering health issues could have had a devastating impact on his fighting ability. However, he imposed his wrestling-heavy game from the opening bell and forced Whittaker to furiously tap after a tight face crank in Round 1.
McGregor had placed a $500,000 bet on Whittaker to beat Chimaev and Topuria to beat Holloway. He took to X after Chimaev's victory and expressed his disappointment in one word in a now-deleted post:
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"Abysmal"
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McGregor had lost a similar $500,000 bet at last week's PFL event when he predicted Renan Ferreira to knock Francis Ngannou out.
Chimaev's dominant performance came as a surprise to many as Whittaker is widely regarded as one of the best anti-wrestlers in UFC history and has produced good results against credentialed grapplers like Yoel Romero and Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza in the past. By far, he is the most accomplished middleweight fighter Chimaev has faced in his professional MMA career.
However, Whittaker could not stop Chimaev's takedown and succumbed to the submission hold, presumably injuring his jaw in the process.
The fight was expected to be a potential title eliminator, especially if Chimaev emerged victorious. Reigning champion Dricus du Plessis is likely to rematch his predecessor Sean Strickland in the foreseeable future. However, no official announcement has been made by the UFC.
Following his win, Chimaev urged the UFC to give him the title shot and thanked Whittaker for stepping up to fight him while claiming that most other fighters turned him down.
"Thanks, brother. I love you, my brother. You've always been a picture for me. You're a legend. Respect he took the fight with me, man. No one wants to fight me. All the champions are running from me."
Check out Khamzat Chimaev's comments below (0:41):
