Ali Abdelaziz: Conor McGregor Lacks ‘Cajones’ To Fight Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje’s manager feels Conor McGregor is avoiding a fight with “The Highlight.”

Back in August, McGregor told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that he was in talks for a return bout in July against Gaethje. Obviously those talks fell apart.

“I was preparing for the end of July at Madison Square Garden. I was eager to get back, I had the game figured out. And I have it figured out,” Conor McGregor said to ESPN. “I was on such a great trajectory Ariel. Like I said I get to these great spots and ‘boom’, a little slip and then I have to build it up again. It’s just the life I’m in right now and I’ve just got to recognize it and take lessons from it and keep going and not let it happen again.

“Most certainly I would have been back in July, we were getting there in conversation, opponents discussed, I do not really mind the opponent,” he continued. “I wanted similarities to Khabib to prepare for that (rematch) cause he doesn’t want to have the rematch. Whatever, I just want to compete now, enough is enough let’s get me back in the mix.”

MMAJunkie caught up with Abdelaziz during a Dominance MMA media day session. The well-known MMA manager criticized McGregor for not signing on the dotted line to fight Gaethje.

“You can’t wrestle for (expletive),” Abdelaziz said. “You don’t have heart. You don’t have charisma. Don’t get it twisted. (If) I don’t hate you, it doesn’t mean I don’t respect you, 100 percent. He answers to everybody. He answered to Frankie. He answered to Poirier. He answered to everybody out there. The one guy he didn’t answer to is Justin Gaethje. We know what Justin Gaethje does to people. Justin gives you his soul or he takes your soul. But guess what? Khabib already took his soul.

“Guys, Conor McGregor is done. The UFC is trying to figure out how they can cash out of him because he’s still one of the biggest stars in the sport. We can’t deny him. But the man has no soul, he has no heart and he’s got no cojones. I believe this is something he and his whole team have, (excluding) a couple guys. It’s the culture. The culture here? Everybody’s gangsters. The culture there? Everybody give up. That’s it.”

Gaethje is coming off a first-round finish over Donald Cerrone. “The Highlight” has earned three straight first-round finishes with knockouts over James Vick, Edson Barboza, and “Cowboy.”