Cian Cowley: ‘Everyone will know on Saturday’ how good Conor McGregor truly is

Conor McGregor will be taking on Khabib Nurmagomedov on Saturday at UFC 229 for the lightweight belt. Not only will McGregor be making his long-awaited return to the Octagon, he is also looking to reclaim his lightweight belt.

Helping Conor McGregor during his training camp is Brave CF fighter, Cian Cowley. Cowley knows just how good the former double-champ is. Even with McGregor having so much success at the UFC level, many are counting the Irishman out, saying he will get mauled by Nurmagomedov.

According to Cowley, however, he has no doubts about McGregor’s skill.

“People are so quick to forget about Conor’s ability, where he has been, the fights he has been in and the level of opponents [he has faced]. Every time he’s been matched against these lads it’s always the same bollocks talk. I just don’t know how people don’t see that,” Cowley told the Eurobash podcast (transcribed by MMAFighting.com).

While Conor McGregor has not fought in MMA since he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, McGregor has spent that time training in the gym, improving his game, something Cowley has noticed.

“Think about it, the Mayweather fight and all that’s happened since then….the Alvarez fight must be two years ago now. He’ll be a different fighter now than he was then,” Cowley said. “That’s a long time ago. He’s matured as a fighter, especially after what he’s been through with Mayweather. He had the 30 minutes with Mayweather and he had the whole camp involved with that fight…that’s different level type sh*t.”

Cowley is excited to watch McGregor perform on Saturday and prove doubters wrong, the same doubters who said he wouldn’t win against fighters like Jose Aldo and Alvarez.

“I’m behind Conor 100 percent in everything, inside the ring and outside the ring, I’m over his shoulder the whole time,” he said. “He’s a big thing for our country…huge…not only as a fighter but as an Irishman as well. That’s what we’re all here for support. Watching the greatness unfold and watching him slap the head of this lad on Saturday and then the Irish are back on top.”

While many have mixed opinions on who will win the fight at UFC 229, Cowley believes ‘real fighters’ know who will win because they know how good McGregor truly is.

“There’ll always be the jackasses giving it this and that, you’re never going to get rid of them. The real ones will know, the real fighters. I think the real fighters know now, to be honest,” the Brave CF fighter said. “If you look at anyone who came out and said anything about the fight, the real solid fighters that don’t claim to be this and that, they’re all saying what’s going to happen. The real ones know and everyone will know on Saturday.”

Do you think Conor McGregor will be better than ever when he fights Khabib Nurmagomedov this weekend?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/2/2018.