– Paul Dollery reports from Las Vegas
CHAD MENDES’ BACKGROUND in wrestling may give him the advantage in that department, but it won’t be enough for him to overcome Conor McGregor.
That’s the view of McGregor’s Straight Blast Gym team-mate Cathal Pendred ahead of Saturday’s UFC 189 main event in Las Vegas, in which the interim UFC featherweight title will be up for grabs.
The striking game of Mendes has shown considerable improvement in his recent outings, but if the American is to give McGregor his first taste of defeat in five years, it’s likely that his NCAA Division One wrestling pedigree will be the key.
Many have questioned McGregor’s ability to handle himself on the ground. The Dubliner was submitted by Joseph Duffy in November 2010, but none of his 13 opponents in the meantime have succeeded in taking him down.
Cathal Pendred, who’s also here in Las Vegas preparing to take on John Howard on Saturday, maintains that his team-mate is very adept when it comes to wrestling… it’s just that he keeps knocking opponents out instead.
“Conor is a phenomenal wrestler,” Pendred told The42. “His balance is incredible and it’s become even more so in the last few months since he’s been out here. He seems to have been doing a lot of work on it. It’s nearly impossible to take Conor down, and if you do get him down he’s straight back up.
“I’m happy that the wrestler question is going to be asked of him because people are constantly asking it. The reason people haven’t seen his wrestling is because he’s been knocking guys out in the first round or two. But the wrestling is there, trust me.”
