Joe Rogan Thinks Conor McGregor Can Beat Mayweather

The biggest fight in combat sports history edges closer and closer as UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor continues to agitate boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. McGregor appeared at Madison Square Garden on Friday night to support his fellow Irishman and promising bantamweight boxer Michael Conlan, according to The Telegraph. Conlan secured a TKO stoppage in his debut match, which was made even more monumental considering his win landed on St. Patrick’s day.

Despite Conlan’s victory, reporters were focused on a boisterous Conor McGregor, who claimed he was going to “stop Floyd” and that the “world will eat their words,” per an earlier Inquisitr article. This implies that the two fighters are closer than ever to finally signing a contract. As this superfight has developed, one of the few obstacles standing in the way was UFC President Dana White. Per Fox Sports, White has retracted his statements about preventing McGregor from competing in another organization, explaining that he would “never keep Conor from making that kind of money.” With White’s approval, and Mayweather officially out of retirement for the bout, it seems that everything is in place to make this fight happen.

McGregor and Mayweather took shots at each other on social media throughout 2015 and 2016, but the real developments have all happened within the last few months. The biggest bumps in the narrative came when McGregor got his boxing license in California, and when the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was booked last week for a potential superfight, as reported in an earlier Inquisitr article.

MMA aficionado and UFC commentator Joe Rogan weighed in on the potential match-up, and had an interesting position on the outcome, as reported by MMA Fighting. During a session of the Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan’s podcast, Rogan conceded that “there’s something about Conor McGregor. I’m telling you, there’s something about that dude. He’s got something going on. He’s got a little something extra special but he would need everything to line up.” Rogan discussed the superfight with former UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub and actor/comedian Bryan Callen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m_s9LTzxig

Rogan held nothing back.

“Mayweather would have to dismiss him as a threat. He’d have to not train hard enough, he’d have to not seriously consider the possibility that Conor connects on him and knocks him out. And then Conor would have to do some roughhousing. He’d have to hold him in the clinch. He’d have to hold him and hit him. He’d have to try and get off as many shots and bully him around and wear him out. It’s a possibility.”

Joe Rogan made it a point to mention the size difference between McGregor and Mayweather, explaining that McGregor has always fought big and looked large across as many as three different divisions in the UFC.

Joe Rogan is one of many MMA connoisseurs who believe McGregor has a chance at dethroning the undefeated Mayweather. What these commentators often observe, besides McGregor’s size, is his foot and head movement. McGregor employs a very unorthodox style of movement that keeps him defended from incoming strikes, but also allows for him to open up with a combination from almost any angle. Footwork aside, McGregor has unquestionable punching power, securing a majority of his victories with left hand KO’s, usually in earlier rounds with a precise counter.

It is possible for Conor to win, one thing I learned is to never say never, it's gonna be really hard but there's… https://t.co/UpcIJdpxlm

— Bas Rutten (@BasRuttenMMA) March 15, 2017

Among those that believe McGregor has more than a puncher’s chance to beat Mayweather is legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach, who’s been brought into a number of camps to help prepare fighters for bouts with the undefeated champion. As reported by MMA Junkie, Roach stated that because McGregor “likes to throw, and he throws hard,” McGregor has a bigger chance at upsetting Mayweather than people give him credit for.

As it comes down to the wire, and bigger voices are starting to chatter about the potential superfight, it seems like a certainty that it will happen sometime later this year. Joe Rogan is a well of knowledge when it comes to combat sports, and his statement is clear: Rogan thinks Conor McGregor has the tools and dedication to give Floyd Mayweather a run for his money.

[Featured Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]