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Published 12:24 IST, May 29th 2020

Conor McGregor accepts Anderson Silva's 'super fight' UFC catchweight challenge

Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor has accepted the callout from Anderson Silva to face him at 176 lbs (catchweight) in a UFC "super fight".

Reported by: Raj Sarkar
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Brazilian MMA veteran Anderson Silva thrilled MMA fans this week by teasing a potential “super fight” against former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor on social media. The 45-year-old former middleweight champion acknowledged Conor McGregor’s abilities and was confident that UFC fans would welcome a matchup between them in the future. While Silva's challenge made waves, those waves turned tidal after Conor McGregor accepted McGregor vs Silva challenge a day later. 

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UFC: Conor McGregor accepts the challenge from Anderson Silva

In what has turned out to be a trend amid the lockdown, Conor McGregor accepted the challenge thrown by Anderson Silva on Twitter. ‘The Notorious’ kept it short and wrote “I accept” in his recent tweet. UFC could, therefore, potentially line up one of the biggest fights in UFC history if they manage to bring McGregor vs Silva to the octagon.

If the fight is scheduled per Anderson Silva's terms, the bout will take place in the catchweight division. While UFC doesn’t quite have a catchweight unit, Anderson Silva has still challenged Conor McGregor to face him at 176 lbs. It appears Conor McGregor is ready to make 176 lbs in order to face Anderson Silva, as he has already accepted the challenge without addressing the weight-class. Conor McGregor is currently fighting in the welterweight division (170 lbs) but also claimed earlier that he is ready to explore other divisions. Meanwhile, Anderson Silva’s “super fight” offer could force McGregor to gain a few more pounds more for the contest.

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Also Read | McGregor vs Silva: Anderson Silva Hints At Potential Super Fight Against Conor McGregor

McGregor vs Silva: Conor McGregor accepts challenge

The Twitter back-and-forth began with Conor McGregor’s frequent tweets that involved numerous UFC fighters. ‘The Notorious’ went on to list the greatest fighters of all time in MMA history (MMA GOATs) and ranked Anderson Silva at the top and placed himself second above Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones. McGregor's tweet drew a lot of backlash from UFC fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones, who took digs at the Irish superstar by highlighting the downfalls of his MMA career.

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However, Conor McGregor paid little attention to the criticism and went on to label himself as the ultimate MMA GOAT on Twitter. While various UFC fighters have discredited McGregor's claims, Anderson Silva tagged Connor McGregor as a “super athlete” before expressing interest in a “super fight”. UFC officials and Dana White are yet to act on this development. 

Also Read | Khabib Nurmagomedov Talks About UFC GOAT But There Are 6 Contenders And No Conor McGregor

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Also Read | Conor McGregor accepts challenge of G.O.A.T debate in MMA

Image courtesy: UFC

12:24 IST, May 29th 2020