Rafael Fiziev has taken to Twitter to mock Conor McGregor for making suggestions about how to counter his trademark lean back. Before he signed with the UFC the lightweight was known for his ability to bend his upper body backwards to avoid body kicks and head kicks.
It is a technique which is commonly seen in Muay Thai buy one MMA fans are not familiar with. McGregor got quit excited about a video showing Fiziev’s best lean backs and came up with some technical tips of his own:
This is awesome. Change the roundhouse to an axe kick. Roundhouse into and axe kick and this defense eats the full of the heel.
I’m telling you. If their reaction to a high kick is this, implement the axe. https://t.co/Nxg0BemzoO— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 6, 2022
Clapping back
Fiziev responded a few hours later and openly mocked the Irishman for suggesting it would be easy to land an axe kick in this situation. McGregor has never competed in either Muay Thai or kickboxing and the lightweight, who headlines UFC Vegas 59 this weekend, thinks it shows.
He challenged McGregor to come and train at Tiger Muay Thai and accused him of living in a ‘fantasy world’ for thinking it would be possible to land an axe kick in this type of situation:
Conor, I invite you to @tigermuaythai where we can show you how to kick and defend the kicks properly so you can stop living in fantasy world where you think it’s possible to land an axe kick in this situation https://t.co/N6BQ89Ssyx
— Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) July 6, 2022
Top Thais
Fiziev was in with some of the best fighters in Thailand and some of the footage in question was filmed at a 154lbs Toyota Marathon in 2017 when he faced both Dechrid Sathian Muaythai Gym and Sorgraw Petchyindee.
The latter has won Lumpinee titles in two different divisions. It is an elite level of striking and having held his own against fighters of that calibre Fiziev is entitled to feel he knows a little bit more about Muay Thai than Conor McGregor.
The Irishman famously transitioned to boxing in 2017 and made a lot of money in the process. He was well beaten by Floyd Mayweather though and his record currently stands at 0-1.
Fiziev thinks that McGregor would benefit from a stint at Tiger Muay Thai and suggests the Irishman might be able to learn to throw and block kicks. It is unlikely that this invitation will ever be taken up but perhaps the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion will think twice before offering technical suggestions to seasoned Muay Thai fighters in future!
