Many mental game principles played against Conor:
1. He had MORE TO LOOSE because he had to prove his talk, and he had his wife and son watching – you can talk but you can not ignore the pressure of losing in front of the eyes of the people who really love you. No man can beat that pressure!
On contrary Khabib family was nore there nore watching. For him it was a man’s job with his teammates and his coach only – less distraction!
2. He was fighting against the time. HE HAD TO FINISH Khabib before mid 2nd round. The more the fight unfolds he was on a losing part of the vicious cycle/ on the counter part Khabib knows he is capable to fight the whole fight and felt prepared. He was not in a rush it was all his – giving him the dominant part of the vicious cycle
3. Khabib was DEFENDING the belt. The principle of defending something that is yours is stronger than the attackers. Moreover Conor never defended anything than Artem Lobov, So he was on the hit and run train
4. Khabib beat him two times on BEING THERE FIRST on the press conference and than on official weight in. On behavior instinctive language this means “I am ready before you” and “I am the alpha dog, I lead the pack, and I am there first”.
5. Conor SPENT TOO MUCH MENTAL ENERGY for promoting the fight and lost his balance at the end on the public weight ins. Not a good sign for him, as we saw.
