Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor will battle for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 229. Photo / Getty Images
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor will battle for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 229. Photo / Getty Images
After two years away from the UFC, former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor will again walk into the octagon this Sunday (NZ time).
Standing across the cage from him will be the undefeated current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov - looking for his 27th straight win.
It's one of the most anticipated bouts in UFC history. On one side you have McGregor (21-3-0), a devastating striker capable of ending a fight with one punch; on the other you have Nurmagomedov (26-0-0), a strong grappler and wrestler who can grind his opponent away on the canvas.
The two contrasting styles make it all that much tougher to call. Here's how some of New Zealand and Australia's crop of UFC fighters see it going:
Luke Jumeau - welterweight I'm going with Conor for a first round finish. I think his timing and precision will be too good early on.
Luke Jumeau last fought in February. Photo / Getty Images
Australian fighters
Jessica-Rose Clark - No 10 ranked women's flyweight I think Conor can win inside 2 rounds. He has great footwork and accuracy and power. He's only going to need to touch Khabib 2-3 times and Khabib will make a mistake. If Khabib is smart and keeps pressuring forward, keeping Conor in a backwards fight, I think Khabib can pressure him to the cage and grind him out. The fight is anyone's but my prediction is Conor by TKO late in the second round.
Jessica-Rose Clark's next bout will be at UFC Fight Night Milwaukee in December. Photo / Getty Images
Alex Volkanovski - No 11 ranked featherweight I'm 50/50 on it; I see both winning. If Khabib fights how I think he should, he takes it in the fourth round, but if he doesn't, Conor finishes him in the first.
Tyson Pedro - No 15 ranked light heavyweight Khabib, even though Connor has upset me many times with my predictions. I think Khabib will go in there and do his thing - maul him.
Tai Tuivasa - No 11 ranked heavyweight Conor. On their feet, Conor for sure.
Tai Tuivasa will headline UFC Fight Night Adelaide in December. Photo / Getty Images
Jimmy Crute - light heavyweight making UFC debut in Adelaide in December I'm going Conor via KO early. Definitely not putting money on that though.
Jake Matthews - welterweight I think Khabib will win via submission in the third or fourth round.
