Tenshin Nasukawa welcomes Conor McGregor's MMA challenge, but makes problematic demands of his own
- Tenshin Nasukawa has welcomed Conor McGregor's mixed martial arts challenge.
- But Nasukawa has a few demands that would prove problematic to any negotiations with McGregor and the Irishman's employer, the UFC.
- Nasukawa wants the fight to be competed at a weight that is alien to McGregor, in a kickboxing ring rather than a UFC cage, and wants to make McGregor play the waiting game rather than book the bout now.
- McGregor has other fights that could prove far more lucrative, with rematches against Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov likely options.
- A Nasukawa vs. McGregor exhibition could, therefore, remain talked about on social media platforms only, rather than on the negotiating table in UFC boardrooms.
Tenshin Nasukawa has welcomed Conor McGregor's mixed martial arts challenge but has issued demands that could prove problematic in negotiating with the Irishman and his employer, the UFC.
Nasukawa rose to international prominence when the Asian combat sports firm Rizin held a press conference to announce an exhibition bout between the 20-year-old kickboxer and American fight veteran Floyd Mayweather last year.
Nasukawa was annihilated by Mayweather in an exhibition that lasted just 136 seconds on December 31, but even though he was knocked down three times the event still managed to capture the imagination of McGregor, who issued a come-and-fight-me plea on Twitter.
"I wish to go to Tokyo to face Tenshin Nasukawa in a mixed martial arts exhibition bout," McGregor tweeted on Sunday.
It only took Nasukawa a day to respond but the Japanese fighter has told McGregor he has conditions that the UFC star must accept if their exhibition is to go ahead.
Here they are:
- McGregor must weigh-in at 58kg (127.8 pounds)
- The bout must be fought under kickboxing rules in a ring
- It must be held after Nasukawa has competed in the RISE kickboxing grand prix this year
Read more: Floyd Mayweather's fight against Tenshin Nasukawa was 'fake,' according to a former UFC heavyweight
"Dear Mr. McGregor," Nasukawa wrote on Instagram. "Thank you very much for remembering my name. I'm honored that you would even consider fighting me.
"58kg, kickboxing rules would probably get us in the ring sometime in the near future. I will fight my RISE world GP this year so please watch your diet and wait for me!"
Weight matters
By demanding McGregor weighs no more than 58kg (127.8 pounds), Nasukawa gives himself a massive advantage. This weight is closer to his natural competing weight (121 pounds) but it would also give McGregor a problematic weight-cut.
This is because McGregor currently competes as a UFC lightweight, which means his fighting weight is 70.3kg (155 pounds). Even though McGregor previously campaigned as a featherweight at 65.7kg (145 pounds), cutting further to 127 pounds would be improbable, if not impossible.
McGregor's challenge specifically referenced mixed martial arts rules in a cage and so Nasukawa's insistence on kickboxing rules in a ring further distances himself from the Irishman's original offer.
Nasukawa stressed that the upcoming RISE kickboxing grand prix is a more important competition for him than any exhibition against McGregor, and McGregor himself has potential big-money rematches against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Nate Diaz to campaign for.
So, for now, it is likely this event could remain the talk of social media, rather than the talk of any negotiating room.