'He was still in the fight' - Javier Mendez feels Conor McGregor could have turned things around in the second round against Dustin Poirier

Khabib Nurmagomedov's coach Javier Mendez believes Conor McGregor could have made a comeback in the second round of his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

"Well, based on the way he [Conor McGregor] stood up, based on how he came back, he was still in the fight. It's just the injury that prevented him from going any further. So, I would say he was still in the fight. Had that injury not happened, I would have to agree with his coach [John Kavanagh]," Javier Mendez said.

The AKA coach went on to say that McGregor did not look his old relaxed self in the octagon at UFC 264.

"It's not the Conor I'm used to seeing. he's normally more relaxed, way relaxed. He's been one of the guys I've been telling people [about], 'Watch him. See how relaxed he is.'"

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Mendez, however, didn't shy away from expressing his dislike for the Irishman.

"I don't like him. I don't like what he does and I'll never like him. I think it's distasteful, coming after wives and family and religion...This is a sport. Yeah, you're a star, but you're an idiot. I'm sorry, he's an idiot... I don't like him at all."

Javier Mendez is an MMA coach and also founded the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). The gym has been home to elite-level fighters like Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Luke Rockhold and Cain Velasquez.

Conor McGregor broke his lower tibia in his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264

Things took a shocking turn in the main event of UFC 264 when Conor McGregor suffered a gruesome injury during his fight with Dustin Poirier. The Irishman broke the lower tibia of his left leg, leading to an abrupt end to the fight. 'The Diamond' was declared the winner by TKO via doctor's stoppage.

McGregor underwent surgery the day after the fight and posted a message on social media, giving his fans an update on the injury.

Onwards and upwards we go ☘️ pic.twitter.com/qKgochlT3t
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2021

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About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

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Edited by Utathya Ghosh