Six Things to Know About Conor McGregor Ahead of UFC 202
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McGregor’s Mindset
On a recent media conference call to promote UFC 202, which is headlined by the welterweight rematch between Conor McGregor (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Nate Diaz (19-10 MMA, 12-8 UFC), McGregor opened up about several issues. Since their first fight at UFC 196 on March 5, which McGregor lost by second round submission via rear naked choke, the UFC featherweight champion has been ensconced in training for this rematch and his chance at redemption. The following slides highlight some of his thoughts on the challenge that faces him, and what the chance to avenge the loss means to him.SEE ALSO:8 Notorious Quotes From Conor McGregor
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This Fight is Huge for McGregor
During the call, McGregor was honest about how the loss to Diaz forced him to re-evaluate what he was doing. “I am happy that this happened (the loss to Diaz, after the American came in as a late replacement on 10 days’ notice for the then UFC lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos ). It forced me to look at my preparation, to look at the route I was going. It forced me to reassess.“Make no mistake, this one means a hell of a lot to me. This one means more than any amount of gold and money combined. I gave up a lot of money; I gave up a lot of opportunities – Hollywood opportunities – for this contest. I wanted to restrict media; I wanted to solely focus on this, so that should tell you how much this fight means to me, and I have been preparing accordingly. “Next – The Hollywood Opportunity McGregor Passed Up
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He Turned Down a Role in ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’
McGregor confirmed that he was slated to take on the role eventually played by Michael Bisping, the current UFC middleweight champion, in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, which of course stars none other than Vin Diesel. However, after the loss to Diaz, his priorities changed.“I should get a cut of that. I didn’t even get a thank you off Bisping. I met the director before the Aldo fight. We spoke and I said ‘yeah, I will do the film,’ and then after the last fight I rang him and said, ‘listen I can’t get into this film right now.’ I need to get that win back. I need to to focus and do what got me here in the first place. I disengaged from the film altogether. That was a seven-figure deal that I turned down for this fight.“This is more important for me. I have said it before. I am not in this for show business. This is the fight business.”Next: Why McGregor is eyeing up a trilogy of fights against Diaz.
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McGregor is Looking for a Trilogy of Fights with Diaz
“The Notorious” was unequivocal when asked whether he would be interested in a third fight with Diaz if he emerges victorious on August 20. “100 percent. Of course. Maybe not straight away, but most certainly this will be a trilogy fight. Me and the boy have something, and it ain’t finished yet.”McGregor was somewhat diplomatic in the answer above, and if he wins he will still be under some pressure to drop back down to featherweight to defend his belt against interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo. When Diaz was asked if he could not get the job done on August 20, would he consider a rematch, he answered: “Who wouldn’t want a rematch against someone who had beaten him.” Next: Why McGregor is Excited to Prepare for This War
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McGregor Is Readying Himself for War
When the Irish fighter was asked about how he has coped with the loss to Diaz, and if it acted as extra motivation for the rematch, he gave a rather thoughtful reply, saying:“I am an expert at adaptation and overcoming adversity. I’ve been doing it my whole life. I have faced defeats in all forms, not just MMA, and I have come back stronger. We win or we learn, that’s what my coach John (Kavanagh) says.”“I have grown as a fighter and I have gained valuable experience,” he added underlining the number of knockouts on his resume. When McGregor threw those same bombs that destroyed other fighters but didn’t have the same impact on Diaz on March 5, it was a whole new feeling for the 28-year-old. He is choosing to harness that experience as motivation for the rematch.“It was nice to go in there and face a man who, although he was close to tumbling, stuck it out and showed his experience to pull through. It was nice to experience that, and now I have the chance to go back in and use what I have learned from that, to use the experience I have learned from that fight, and to go at it again.“I am very excited for the fight. It is going to be a hell of a fight. The last fight was a hell of a fight. We went in there and we stood toe to toe. The fans are in for a treat, but make no mistake, my hand will be raised.”Next: McGregor’s Fight Prediction
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McGregor: I will Repay the Favor
McGregor admitted that it might not have been the best thing to predict a first round KO in his first fight with Diaz, as he underestimated his opponent’s durability, experience and chin. This time he is preparing for a war, but he says he’s going to do so with a lot more stamina so he does not gas like he did in their first meeting. “I am going to be a lot more prepared for a man that can stay in there with me.” He went on to make this bold prediction:“I believe I will repay the favor and KO him inside the second round.”Next – McGregor does not hold back on what he thinks about the WWE
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McGregor is Not the Biggest fan of WWE
When asked if he would be interested in crossing over to the WWE, McGregor was brutally frank.“For the most part, those WWE guys are p*****s, to be honest.They’re messed up p*****s, if you ask me. Fair play to Brock [Lesnar], he got in and fought, but at the end of the day he was juiced up to the f****** eye balls, so how can I respect that?”McGregor did have some nice things to say about some people in the sports entertainment industry.“There are some dons in the wrestling game. The McMahons are dons, Triple H is a don. The Rock is a Don, but the rest of them are p******.”McGregor took to Twitter a few days after the call to clarify his comments, saying:
I didn't mean no disrespect to the @wwe fans. What I meant to say was that I'd slap the head off your entire roster. And twice on Sunday's.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 7, 2016
On a recent media conference call to promote UFC 202, which is headlined by the welterweight rematch between Conor McGregor (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Nate Diaz (19-10 MMA, 12-8 UFC), McGregor opened up about several issues. Since their first fight at UFC 196 on March 5, which McGregor lost by second round submission via rear naked choke, the UFC featherweight champion has been ensconced in training for this rematch and his chance at redemption. The following slides highlight some of his thoughts on the challenge that faces him, and what the chance to avenge the loss means to him.
During the call, McGregor was honest about how the loss to Diaz forced him to re-evaluate what he was doing.
“I am happy that this happened (the loss to Diaz, after the American came in as a late replacement on 10 days’ notice for the then UFC lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos ). It forced me to look at my preparation, to look at the route I was going. It forced me to reassess.
“Make no mistake, this one means a hell of a lot to me. This one means more than any amount of gold and money combined. I gave up a lot of money; I gave up a lot of opportunities – Hollywood opportunities – for this contest. I wanted to restrict media; I wanted to solely focus on this, so that should tell you how much this fight means to me, and I have been preparing accordingly. “
Next – The Hollywood Opportunity McGregor Passed Up
He Turned Down a Role in 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage'
McGregor confirmed that he was slated to take on the role eventually played by Michael Bisping, the current UFC middleweight champion, in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, which of course stars none other than Vin Diesel. However, after the loss to Diaz, his priorities changed.
“I should get a cut of that. I didn’t even get a thank you off Bisping. I met the director before the Aldo fight. We spoke and I said ‘yeah, I will do the film,’ and then after the last fight I rang him and said, ‘listen I can’t get into this film right now.’ I need to get that win back. I need to to focus and do what got me here in the first place. I disengaged from the film altogether. That was a seven-figure deal that I turned down for this fight.
“This is more important for me. I have said it before. I am not in this for show business. This is the fight business.”
Next: Why McGregor is eyeing up a trilogy of fights against Diaz.
McGregor is Looking for a Trilogy of Fights with Diaz
“The Notorious” was unequivocal when asked whether he would be interested in a third fight with Diaz if he emerges victorious on August 20.
“100 percent. Of course. Maybe not straight away, but most certainly this will be a trilogy fight. Me and the boy have something, and it ain’t finished yet.”
McGregor was somewhat diplomatic in the answer above, and if he wins he will still be under some pressure to drop back down to featherweight to defend his belt against interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo. When Diaz was asked if he could not get the job done on August 20, would he consider a rematch, he answered: “Who wouldn’t want a rematch against someone who had beaten him.”
Next: Why McGregor is Excited to Prepare for This War
McGregor Is Readying Himself for War
When the Irish fighter was asked about how he has coped with the loss to Diaz, and if it acted as extra motivation for the rematch, he gave a rather thoughtful reply, saying:
“I am an expert at adaptation and overcoming adversity. I’ve been doing it my whole life. I have faced defeats in all forms, not just MMA, and I have come back stronger. We win or we learn, that’s what my coach John (Kavanagh) says.”
“I have grown as a fighter and I have gained valuable experience,” he added underlining the number of knockouts on his resume. When McGregor threw those same bombs that destroyed other fighters but didn’t have the same impact on Diaz on March 5, it was a whole new feeling for the 28-year-old. He is choosing to harness that experience as motivation for the rematch.
“It was nice to go in there and face a man who, although he was close to tumbling, stuck it out and showed his experience to pull through. It was nice to experience that, and now I have the chance to go back in and use what I have learned from that, to use the experience I have learned from that fight, and to go at it again.
“I am very excited for the fight. It is going to be a hell of a fight. The last fight was a hell of a fight. We went in there and we stood toe to toe. The fans are in for a treat, but make no mistake, my hand will be raised.”
Next: McGregor’s Fight Prediction
McGregor: I will Repay the Favor
McGregor admitted that it might not have been the best thing to predict a first round KO in his first fight with Diaz, as he underestimated his opponent’s durability, experience and chin. This time he is preparing for a war, but he says he’s going to do so with a lot more stamina so he does not gas like he did in their first meeting. “I am going to be a lot more prepared for a man that can stay in there with me.” He went on to make this bold prediction:
“I believe I will repay the favor and KO him inside the second round.”
Next – McGregor does not hold back on what he thinks about the WWE
McGregor is Not the Biggest fan of WWE
When asked if he would be interested in crossing over to the WWE, McGregor was brutally frank.
“For the most part, those WWE guys are p*****s, to be honest.They’re messed up p*****s, if you ask me. Fair play to Brock [Lesnar], he got in and fought, but at the end of the day he was juiced up to the f****** eye balls, so how can I respect that?”
McGregor did have some nice things to say about some people in the sports entertainment industry.
“There are some dons in the wrestling game. The McMahons are dons, Triple H is a don. The Rock is a Don, but the rest of them are p******.”
McGregor took to Twitter a few days after the call to clarify his comments, saying:
I didn't mean no disrespect to the @wwe fans. What I meant to say was that I'd slap the head off your entire roster. And twice on Sunday's.
