Watch Conor McGregor's Epic Knockout at UFC 246

The Notorious One is back as Conor McGregor delivered a vicious knockout to Donald Cerrone at UFC [...]

By Aaron Perine

The Notorious One is back as Conor McGregor delivered a vicious knockout to Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. Let's hope you didn't get up for a beverage near the beginning of that bout because it was over in just 40 seconds. After the match, the outspoken fighter said that he'd be staying at the 170-pound weight class for anybody dying to get a piece of him. It was an impressive display by the former featherweight and lightweight champion as fans were looking forward to a fight between two storied athletes. Corrine was the UFC's all-time leader in performance bonuses and he was on the other side of the most polarizing athlete in the sport.

The Irish fighter had a lot to prove heading into this bout because of how the last two trips into an arena unfolded for him. A highly-publicized date with Floyd Mayweather ended with a loss. Then, in his return to UFC, he challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov for the Lightweight Championship back at UFC 229 and submitted in the fourth round. Some in the fighting community wondered if the game had passed McGregor by or if his fire had been extinguished. It turns out Notorious has a lot more to give to the fight game.

Fans immediately speculated about the prospect of a Khabib rematch after the swift knockout. It would make sense after the grief the star suffered in the immediate aftermath of the defeat. He knows that displays like tonight help, but there will only be closure when he proves that he can stand against Khabib. That will have to be confirmed at another time and social media is nothing if not impatient. UFC president Dana White told Jim Rome that this weekend's victory would open the door for that fight. Well, this is now in the realm of possibility after that lightning KO.

"He gets what he's been waiting for," White elaborated. "He gets what he's been asking for. He has been chomping at the bit for the Khabib rematch. I think it's no big secret. If he wins this weekend, he will get that shot at the title and it will be the biggest pay-per-view ever in UFC history."

McGregor is back and the UFC has to feel good about that fact heading forward.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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