Why Conor McGregor Suffers Fatigue Due to His Explosive Fighting Style
Every UFC fan knows Conor McGregor can be very explosive in the beginning stages of his fights, but he often tires out in later rounds. It was vividly seen in his fight against Nate Diaz where after having dominating rounds, he kind of ran out of energy and looked exhausted. He needed a little bit of time to regather his energy and concentration.
Firas Zahabi, the head coach of Tristar Gym, recently appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast to discuss why this happens. Zahabi believes that McGregor’s “touch of death” left hand comes at a cost because it requires so much energy and strength from his body.
Additionally, the type of muscle fiber a fighter has plays a significant role in their endurance. According to Zahabi, Fast-twitch muscle fibers can twitch faster but hold less oxygen, while slow-twitch muscle fibers can metabolize more oxygen but can’t twitch as fast.
Zahabi explains that there is a give and take when it comes to which stage a fighter loses their concentration, which is purely because their energy and endurance have been depleted. Fighters like Nate Diaz, who are always on the move in a fight, also lose their energy after a proportionate time.
On the other hand, fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is not the quickest of strikers, have a very solidified energy conservation and never run out of gas. It also depends on a fighter’s preferred method, he can go hard and use collectivised energy in big bursts or simply go for endurance snd preservation of stored strength.
Zahabi’s theory about McGregor’s cardio issues is partly genetic, and he calls it the touch of death. McGregor’s left hand is his greatest weapon, but it requires a lot of energy and strength from his body which ultimately affects how much energy he will have for his next move.
McGregor’s fast-twitch muscle fibers allow him to twitch faster but hold less oxygen, which leads to exhaustion in later rounds. Fighters with slow-twitch muscle fibers can metabolize more oxygen but can’t twitch as fast.
A fighter’s endurance or his ability to sustain energy for a longer period of time is determined by a combination of factors, including their genetics and muscle fiber type. While fighters like Conor McGregor may have a touch of death, but it takes a great deal of energy.
Fighters with solid energy conservation, like Nurmagomedov, are able to maintain their endurance throughout the fight. His movements are always brief and swift. It is like an additional weapon for fighter to simply dry out the opponent’s energy and attack when weakness arrives in him.
