Javier Mendez, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov's longtime coach, believes Conor McGregor is slightly past his prime.
After seeing the former two-division titleholder lose to Dustin Poirier via second-round TKO at UFC 257 last weekend, Mendez concluded that a rematch with Nurmagomedov would be even more lopsided than their 2018 meeting.
"(McGregor) appears to be regressed a little bit," Mendez told Submission Radio.
"He would've got smashed (in a rematch)," Mendez added. "He would've got smashed, straight up. Khabib's better. He's better than he was when they fought two years ago. Conor didn't appear to be better."
UFC president Dana White had hoped to schedule a second fight between Nurmagomedov - who retired in October - and McGregor if the latter won at UFC 257. But now Mendez is confident they'll never run back that matchup.
"You're never gonna get that rematch, just like you're never going to get the Tony (Ferguson) and Khabib fight," Mendez said.
