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Conor McGregor is looking to follow in Floyd Mayweather’s footsteps.
The former two-division UFC champion took to Twitter on Sunday to call for an exhibition fight against 20-year old kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa after he faced Mayweather in a similar boxing match on New Year’s Eve in Japan.
“I wish to go to Tokyo to face Tenshin Nasukawa in a Mixed Martial Arts exhibition bout,” McGregor wrote on Sunday. “Before this summer. Please arrange this, this instant.
“Yours sincerely The champ champ.”
I wish to go to Tokyo to face Tenshin Nasukawa in a Mixed Martial Arts exhibition bout.
Before this summer.
Please arrange this, this instant.
Yours sincerely
The champ champ. @ufc @ParadigmSM— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 7, 2019
Now there’s no telling if McGregor was being somewhat serious or just poking fun at Mayweather for having an exhibition match against an opponent who was out gunned from the moment they stepped into the ring together.
Nasukawa, who typically competes around 125 pounds, was giving up size, reach and power to Mayweather not to mention an incredible amount of experience, which showed when they engaged in a glorified sparring match that ended rather quickly.
While Mayweather didn’t seem to take the exhibition bout all that seriously, Nasukawa came out head hunting as soon as their fight began and he connected with one stiff left hand that landed flush on the undefeated boxer’s chin.
From there, Mayweather was clearly motivated to make an example out of Nasukawa as he knocked him down several times, which ultimately forced the Japanese fighter’s corner to throw in the towel.
The exhibition match ultimately lasted less than three minutes and Mayweather claimed he was paid around $9 million for the matchup.
It seems McGregor wants a similar payday for his chance to clown Nasukawa in an exhibition MMA fight in Japan.
Obviously whether McGregor is being serious or just having fun, there seems like no chance whatsoever the UFC would lend out their biggest star even if it’s just an exhibition match against an overmatched opponent.
This article first appeared at News – MMAWeekly.com
