‘You twerp’: McGregor takes aim at GSP coach Zahabi for predicting defeat against Holloway

Speaking during a Q&A session for his Tristar Gym’s YouTube page, Zahabi answered a question about a possible second bout between current featherweight world champion Holloway and former featherweight champ McGregor, saying he fancied the Hawaiian star to take the win.

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“Holloway has grown leaps and bounds since then,” explained Zahabi.

“Holloway would outpunch him, outwork him. He would do very much what (Nate) Diaz did, but more.

“I think McGregor got away with a lot of stuff, like the leg kicks, against Diaz. But I don’t think he’ll have that (luxury) against Holloway.”

Zahabi continued, saying that Holloway’s pace and pressure would prove too much for the mercurial Irishman, and suggested the world is now aware of how to defeat the former two-division champion.

“Holloway has the same type of output as Diaz, the same kind of chin as Diaz, he’s more athletic than Diaz,” he explained.

“He has more variety in his kicks – he has more kicking, kneeing and elbowing – and his chin is just phenomenal.

“So I really think he would take it in the later rounds. I think the blueprint for beating McGregor is more well understood by the roster.”

Zahabi’s assessment did not go down well with McGregor, who jumped on his Twitter account to slam the Tristar head coach and belittle the Canadian’s credentials.

“Hey firaz. Young man afraid to get in and fight, himself,” he began.

“Stop talking about me like you know me, you twerp.

“You are what age? Why are you not in there yourself? Are you not up to it?

“You rent dorms and hit a clock for a living. Shut your pie, kid.”

No rematch has been made between McGregor and Holloway to date, but with Holloway looking likely to move up to the UFC’s lightweight division, a matchup with McGregor may become a distinct possibility later in 2019.