Makwan Amirkhani on Conor McGregor bout: 'Let's do like Manny and Mayweather'

BERLIN – Makwan Amirkhani has made a big impression in a short amount of time in the UFC. The Finnish star has managed two wins in less than two minutes of total octagon time.

Amirkhani’s (12-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) most recent win was a first-round submission of Masio Fullen (10-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 69 event, which streamed on UFC Fight Pass from Berlin. The victory also earned him his second “Performance of the Night” bonus.

In addition to impressive performances, Amirkhani has quickly become a fan favorite for his big personality. That personality shone through once again when the featherweight was asked about his confidence following his UFC Fight Night 69 victory.

“I think confidence comes when you start to realize about life more,” Amirkhani told MMAjunkie. “You are not the center of the universe, and you start to think that whatever happens, it doesn’t matter. You’re not sure about heaven and hell. But it’s good to prepare and be a good human. That’s my job to do on this planet. That’s where I get my confidence.”

Amirkhani was also asked about a fellow European featherweight who has become one of the UFC’s biggest stars, and the idea of a potential bout with Conor McGregor was raised. McGregor (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) challenges champion Jose Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the featherweight title in UFC 189’s pay-per-view headliner, which takes place July 11 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The fighter brought up a recent boxing mega-fight in response.

“My and Conor’s job is to lift the sport of MMA even higher than it is now,” Amirkhani said. “We’re doing a great job, so don’t put us together. Let’s do like Manny (Pacquiao) and (Floyd) Mayweather. Let’s wait a little bit. I’ll do my part, and I’ll earn my fight with McGregor. If it’s God’s will, I will fight him.”

Check out the full conversation above.

For more on UFC Fight Night 69, check out the UFC Events section of the site.