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Rafael Dos Anjos Reflects on Missed Opportunity to Fight Conor McGregor at UFC 196: ‘Would Have Beaten’
Rafael Dos Anjos opens up about the missed UFC 196 fight against Conor McGregor. Discover his thoughts and what could have been. Do you agree with him?
Ever wondered what could have been in the UFC world? Remember that super-hyped lightweight title fight between Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor back in 2016? The one that never happened? Well, dos Anjos is still thinking about it. And guess what? He's got a strong opinion on who would have won.
Buckle up, because things are about to get interesting. This fight was supposed to be epic. Dos Anjos, the champion at the time, was on a roll. McGregor, the rising star, was not to be missed.
But then, disaster struck. Injury forced dos Anjos out, leaving a huge hole in the card and a ton of questions in the minds of fight fans. Did you ever wonder how that fight would've played out? Well, dos Anjos has some thoughts.
Prime RDA vs. the notorious
Dos Anjos was in peak condition for the fight against McGregor. He revealed his intense training regime with former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. "I was in great shape," Dos Anjos recalled. "I remember I was training with Lyoto Machida. He had a very similar style to Conor [McGregor]. I was having good rounds with him. I was going toe to toe with Lyoto."
Despite his preparation, disaster struck. Just 11 days before the fight, Dos Anjos suffered a broken foot. This injury forced him to withdraw from the highly anticipated bout. The MMA world was stunned. McGregor, known for his sharp tongue, didn't hold back.
He questioned the severity of Dos Anjos' injury. "Did you see it? It’s a bruise," McGregor scoffed. "Ice, ibuprofen. If I jumped under an x-ray, the doctor would slap me and say what are you doing kid? Get out of here. Stop this! If you show up, you fight, you’re in, congratulations. You did it.”
Also read: Islam Makhachev Refers To Michael Chandler As 'Hachiko' For His Loyalty Towards Conor McGregor Fight
Instead of Dos Anjos, Nate Diaz stepped in to fight McGregor. The fight became legendary, with Diaz securing a surprising victory. Dos Anjos, meanwhile, lost his title to Eddie Alvarez later that year. Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Dos Anjos remains confident. "I was in my prime; I would have beaten McGregor for sure," he stated.
RDA clashes with Chandler on X over UFC title shot
The digital octagon heated up when Rafael Dos Anjos and Michael Chandler exchanged fiery words on X (formerly Twitter). After Chandler passed up a title shot against Islam Makhachev, opting to hold out for a bout with Conor McGregor, Dos Anjos couldn't hold back.
"There is no price on a UFC belt," he tweeted, criticizing Chandler's decision to bypass a golden opportunity. Chandler, known for his catchphrase "see you at the top," quickly retorted, keeping the banter alive. Dos Anjos, undeterred, clapped back: "I’ve been up here, buddy, haven’t seen you yet."
This social media spar turned into a fan-favorite moment, highlighting the intense rivalries and candid interactions that keep the MMA community buzzing. Will this long-awaited fight ever happen? Only time will tell. As fans, we can only wonder what might have been had Dos Anjos stepped into the cage against McGregor at UFC 196. What do you think? Would Dos Anjos have beaten McGregor?
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