Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou has come out in defense of his former colleague Conor McGregor. According to the ‘Predator’, ‘Notorious’ isn’t a one-dimensional fighter. And if he is to be believed, the Irishman has a good ground game.
A former two-division champion, Conor McGregor might be one of the best strikers in the history of the game. But unlike his talent on the feet, the Irishman isn’t particularly famed for his ground game. Although McGregor held his own against the likes of Max Holloway on the ground, he struggled against more experienced grapplers like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Nate Diaz. But it looks like the Cameroonian doesn’t agree with this perception of the Irish sensation.
Francis Ngannou Backs Conor McGregor’s Ground Game
Recently, Francis Ngannou joined Shannon Sharpe on his podcast ‘Club Shay Shay’. During the conversation, Sharpe claimed that MMA Conor McGregor is one dimensional. The former NBA star claimed this to be the reason behind McGregor’s recent downfall. In Sharpe’s words: “Ronda Rousey was one-dimensional. Conor McGregor is one-dimensional. He just throws punches.”
Ngannou, however, didn’t seem to be on the same page as Sharpe. Defending the Irishman’s abilities on the ground, Ngannou responded: “Really? He has a good ground game, too.” This statement was countered by Sharpe, who backed his previous statement by bringing up McGregor’s struggle against grapplers in his previous bouts.
However, the Cameroonian insisted that this was due to other fighters being better on the ground and not due to the Irishman’s lack of it. “There is always somebody who has a better ground game than somebody, and when they say you have a decent ground game, it’s not the best in the game. It’s a sport with multiple disciplines. Most of the time, the champion is not great at one thing … you just need to be good at a lot,” said Ngannou.
What do you make of Francis Ngannou backing Conor McGregor’s credentials on the ground? Let us know in the comments!
