Fighters Only’s UFC 229 Fight Week Diary is brought to you by 5Dimes.
LAS VEGAS — Fight week has got off to a relatively slow start here in Las Vegas, but don’t be fooled, in a few days time business is going to pick up ahead of what we’re expecting to be the biggest UFC event of all time.
It’s not often the case these days that we get a rivalry such as this one.
The words “It’s personal” are overused in the wider spectrum of the sport, but no one can deny the legitimacy of the feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Just last April in Brooklyn, New York I witnessed those crazy scenes unfold first-hand. From seeing Nurmagomedov and his team approach Artem Lobov in the fighter hotel, to being within touching distance of McGregor and his crew as they stormed into the Barclaycard Arena in pursuit of the Russian and his team. I saw it all and I can tell you that it was all very much real.
It’s crazy to imagine what could’ve unfolded had McGregor and his team turned up just a few minutes earlier, or what could’ve happened had Nurmagomedov stepped off the bus. Thankfully, neither of those things took place and whilst what transpired was still highly undesirable, it’s now given a backstory like no other ahead of Saturday night’s fight.
The mood down on the ground here in Las Vegas is currently subdued, but you can tell something is big is about to happen. Come Friday night at the weigh-ins, things should be full-swing and it’s usually a whole load of fun when the Irish are in town.
There’s going to be a UFC title on the line on Saturday, but really it’s all about pride and inflicting as much pain as possible on a bitter rival.
Fighters Only will be on the ground all week in Las Vegas so check back for daily updates and the perspective from behind the scenes each day.
A storm is brewing.
