Elisha Ellison will face a monumental challenge at UFC 329 as a
historic underdog. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Elisha
Ellison isn't intimidated by the hype behind Gable
Steveson.

Steveson will make his highly anticipated
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Ellison at

UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Olympian
is a -2500 favorite on some sportsbooks going into his UFC debut.
The underdog, however, sees this as an opportunity to make a name
for himself.

Elisha Ellison reacts to Gable Steveson’s training with Jon
Jones

Ellison believes the 2021 Tokyo Olympics wrestling gold medalist is
still inexperienced for a promotion like the UFC. While he isn't
underestimating Steveson, he believes he can shock the MMA world
with a massive upset at UFC 329.

“Anybody coming in, especially to a big promotion in the UFC, 3-0,
you would be a fool not to call him green. It doesn't mean I'm
writing him off,†Ellison said at UFC 329 media day. “He obviously
has a tremendous competition experience in the Olympics, collegiate
wrestling… When I go out there and beat Gable Steveson, it will
mean the world.â€

If Steveson's wrestling pedigree isn't intimidating enough, he has
also been training with Jon Jones in
preparation. However, Ellison is unfazed as “Bones†won't be
fighting on behalf of Steveson. “Jon Jones isn't in the Octagon.
So, it doesn't matter to me,†he added.

Ellison (5-2) has never seen the second round of a fight in his
seven career outings. The former police officer is coming off a
first-round knockout loss in his UFC debut last year. Meanwhile,
Steveson (3-0) has finished all three of his fights in the first
round.

It
seems the McGregor-Nurmagomedov beef lives on years after it was
settled in the cage. | 📷: Getty/UFC

There's still no love lost between Conor
McGregor and Khabib
Nurmagomedov.

McGregor refused to include Nurmagomedov while recently listing his
greatest fighters of all time in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship. According to the former
two-division champion, his bitter rival has barely built a legacy
across his 13 UFC fights. He believes only three of the unbeaten
Russian's opponents were well-known.

Conor McGregor slams Khabib Nurmagomedov's legacy

While McGregor suffered a submission loss to Nurmagomedov back in
2018, the Dubliner claims he wasn't in his best shape. He says he
was doing “bad things†while partying on his yacht before fighting
the then-lightweight champion.

“That guy's done nothing in the sport. 13 fights he's had in the
company, that's it. And three against named opponents. I was off
the yacht [when I fought him]; I was doing bad things on the yacht.
I was partying heavily and I was with my eyeballs in court cases
and all of this,†McGregor told Complex. “I hadn't fought in two
years. I was worth $200 million. I come back and fight this f*cking
guy, I done four rounds with him. I had a broken toe three weeks
before the belt. This guy is nothing. Then, where is he now also?
He's gone.â€

McGregor (22-6) and Nurmagomedov (29-0) shared one of the most
iconic rivalries in UFC history. During the build-up to their
clash, McGregor threw a dolly at a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and
other fighters after “The Eagle†had confronted his teammate
Artem
Lobov. He also made several crude statements about
Nurmagomedov's family and religion.

When they finally met at
UFC 229, the highest-selling UFC pay-per-view of all time,
Nurmagomedov made McGregor tap via a face crank in the fourth
round. The Dagestani then defended his lightweight title two more
times before hanging up his gloves in 2020.

Meanwhile, McGregor rebounded with a win over Donald
Cerrone in 2020, which was his last win in the UFC. He hasn't
fought since consecutive losses to Dustin
Poirier in 2021, the last of which left him with a broken
leg.

McGregor is now set to return in a welterweight matchup against
Max
Holloway (27-9) at
UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Islam Makhachev (top) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (bottom) each have
a case for UFC GOAT. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Conor
McGregor doesn't harbor any ill will towards Islam
Makhachev.

McGregor recently listed his greatest fighters of all time in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship. He ranked himself as the
greatest while slamming the legacy of Makhachev's friend and
mentor, Khabib
Nurmagomedov. However, the former two-division champion had
nothing bad to say about Makhachev.

Why Conor McGregor ranks Islam Makhachev ahead of Khabib
Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier

McGregor believes Makhachev ranks above Nurmagomedov on the GOAT
list. He argues that Makhachev not only has titles in two weight
classes, but also more finishes in the UFC than “The Eagle.†The
Irishman has him above Daniel
Cormier as well.

While some believe Makhachev is nearing retirement, McGregor
believes the UFC welterweight champion has a lot left in him.

“He's above Khabib. Finishes, body of work, both divisions. For
sure, he is. Still at it,†he told Complex. “There's a lot left in
that boy, and he should recognize that and keep going. I have him
above both his teammates there, Cormier and [Nurmagomedov].â€

While Nurmagomedov (29-0) defended the lightweight title thrice,
Makhachev (28-1) broke his record by defending it four times before
moving up to welterweight. The latter dominantly dethroned Jack
Della Maddalena to win the 170-pound title this past
November.

Makhachev is now scheduled to defend his title against Ian Garry at
UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, McGregor (22-6) is set to return in a welterweight
matchup against Max
Holloway (27-9) at
UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.