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Jorge Masvidal Explains How Conor McGregor Can 'Catch Donald Cerrone Early'

Jorge Masvidal Explains How Conor McGregor Can 'Catch Donald Cerrone Early'

McGregor makes his anticipated UFC return against Cerrone at UFC 246.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Jorge Masvidal thinks that Conor McGregor has a good chance of beating Donald Cerrone in the early rounds in their UFC 246 clash.

McGregor returns to the UFC on January 18 when he faces 'Cowboy' in a welterweight bout in Las Vegas.

Image: Conor McGregor/Instagram
Image: Conor McGregor/Instagram

The match-up is scheduled for five rounds but Masvidal believes McGregor can catch "slow starter" Cerrone in the early rounds with his speed and timing to score a quick victory.

"It can go many ways," the BMF champion told ESPN. "Conor is great off the block. He's phenomenal off the start. Cowboy is a slow starter. Conor has tremendous speed and timing in the beginning, good power, so I think he can catch him early.

"If Cowboy comes out to grapple like he has in the past with decent strikers and even good grapplers like Rick Story, who he was able to take down and create a lot of offense like that ... if that Cowboy comes out, he can mix things up real nice.

"And then he can start to flow and get into his game of high kicks and punching and being tricky, like a dual threat to Conor."

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

Masvidal, 35, enjoyed a scintillating 2019 which included stoppage victories over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz.

And he's hoping to land a fight with McGregor in 2020 if the Irishman can put away Cerrone.

"Yes, I would want that fight," the Miami native said about facing McGregor.

"It's a big money fight. It's a dude that's a two-time division champion. He has some impressive records, and he comes to fight man, so in that aspect, yes.

"And we're going to both f**king sell out wherever we're f**king fighting at, and it's going to be violence.

"(I would pick) the Conor fight because the Conor fight is not going to be there."

Will Masvidal meet McGregor in the Octagon this year? Watch this space.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Conor Mcgregor, Jorge Masvidal, UFC News, Cerrone, Fight News, UFC, MMA

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Darren Till, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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