Close Ad ×

Muscle & Fitness logo Muscle & Fitness

  • Workouts

    Workouts

    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
    Find Exercises Targeting…
    • Abs and Core Exercises
    • Arm Exercises
    • Back Exercises
    • Chest Exercises
    • Leg Exercises
    • Shoulder Exercises
  • Nutrition

    Nutrition

    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
    6 Milk Substitutes and How They Actually Work
    Healthy Eating

    5 Things You Need to Know about Plant-Based Milks

    Group-Of-Guys-Cheering-Bottles-of-Beer
    Healthy Eating

    Research Suggests that Beer May Boost Gut Health

    Group-Toasting-beer
    Healthy Eating

    10 Non-Alcoholic and Low ABV Beers that Are Fit for Your Gym Goals

    Wheat-Germ-Field-Farmer-Hands
    Healthy Eating

    5 Plant-Based Proteins You Should Try Adding to Your Diet

  • Athletes & Celebrities

    Athletes & Celebrities

    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
    Norman Powell on the basketball court wearing his Clipper jersey
    Interviews

    Norman Powell 'Understands the Grind' for Maintaining NBA Longevity

    IMPACT’s Brian Myers pointing at you
    Pro Tips

    An IMPACT Star's 5-Step Plan for Creating the Perfect Pro wrestler

    Flying Knee Kick
    Pro Tips

    Try Kickboxing for an Added Jolt to your Wellness Routine

    Boxing fighter Richardson Hitchins landing a punch on his opponent
    Interviews

    Boxing’s Richardson Hitchins Explains the Importance of Interval Trainin...

  • Features

    Features

    • From our Partners
    • Active Lifestyle
    • M&F: Fit to Serve
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
    Lyvecap image1
    From our Partners

    Revolutionizing Performance and Recovery with LYVECAP Probiotics

    INNO FAST 4
    From our Partners

    Transform Your Health with Inno Supps Inno Fast: Unlock the Benefits of ...

    INNO FAST 5
    From our Partners

    5 Reasons for Your Unexplained Weight Gain and How to Combat it With Int...

    Julian Edelman sitting on a bench at the south street seaport
    Gear

    Julian Edelman Has His Gear Bag Packed for the Broadcast Booth

  • Anti-Aging

    Anti-Aging

    • Functional Medicine
    • Hormone Optimization
    • Recovery
    • Wellness
    best spermidine supplement
    Anti-Aging

    Best Spermidine Supplements: Review of the Top 5 Brands

    Male-Elderly-Old-Bench-Press
    Functional Medicine

    Muscle Mass May be Your key to Defeating Injuries and Illness

    Old people enjoying life Sponsored
    Anti-Aging

    Best NMN Supplement: Top 5 NMN Brands In 2023

    AdobeStock_227446917 - 1109x614 pix
    Anti-Aging

    Best Resveratrol Supplement: Review of the top 5 brands in 2023

  • Flex

    Flex

    • Olympia Coverage
    • Athletes
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
    Week in Bodybuilding 9:25
    News

    Get Caught Up on All the Big Shows in Bodybuilding

    Bailey’s Entertainment Model Search
    News

    Bailey’s Entertainment Model Search May Be Looking for You

    2023 Armlifting USA World Championships
    News

    2023 Armlifting USA World Championships to be Held at 2023 Olympia Weeke...

    Cathy LeFrancois1-Dobbins
    Flexonline

    Cathy Lefrancois Will Go Down As One the Most Beautiful Female Bodybuild...

  • Hers

    Hers

    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
    Natalie Burn looking in the mirror
    Hers Workouts

    Try Natalie Burn’s “Killer” Core and Kickboxing Workout

    Trish Marmo
    Hers Athletes & Celebrities

    How Ballroom Dancing Helped This Athlete Regain Her Edge

    Mila Stanzani competing in ninja warrior competition after preparing with her ninja warrior workout routine
    Hers Workouts

    This 'Ninja'-Inspired Workout Will Help Strengthen Your Pullups

    Tiffany Lee Gaston
    Hers Athletes & Celebrities

    Getting Sober Helped this Fitness Star Break Through Her PTSD

  • Muscle&Fitness+

    Muscle&Fitness+

  • Olympia

    Olympia

    • Olympia Coverage
    • Buy Tickets
    Caesar Bacarella performing a dumbbell workout with biceps curls
    Pro Tips

    Caesar Bacarella Is Building a Fitness Empire at Full Speed

    Olympia-2019-Whiteny-Jones-Press-Conference
    Interviews

    Whitney Jones Can Break, But Can Never Be Broken

    IFBB Wellness Pro Yarishna Ayala
    Interviews

    Yarishna Ayala Shares Advice for Future Wellness Division Competitors

    2021 Mr. Olympia Top 3 winners Brandon Curry, Big Ramy, Hadi Choopin
    News

    BIG RAMY WINS THE 2021 OLYMPIA!

Subscribe to YouTube Subscribe to the Newsletter Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Accessibility Statement Do Not Sell
  • Workouts
    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
  • Nutrition
    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
  • Features
    • From our Partners
    • Active Lifestyle
    • M&F: Fit to Serve
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
  • Anti-Aging
    • Functional Medicine
    • Hormone Optimization
    • Recovery
    • Wellness
  • Flex
    • Olympia Coverage
    • Athletes
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
  • Hers
    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
  • Muscle&Fitness+
  • Olympia
    • Olympia Coverage
    • Buy Tickets
  • Resources & Highlights
    • Topics
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Do Not Sell

Stay Connected

Newsletter Signup

Stay up to date

Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners

Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest
Open menu button
Open search bar button
×

Search M&F

Featured Articles
Lean Muscle
Healthy Eating

28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan

With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.

Read article
Kate Upton Attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Women

The 20 Hottest Female Celebrities

Talented stars, killer physiques.

Read article
Bench press record holder Bill Gillespie breaking the world record at age 62
Pro Tips

The 'Dos' and 'Don’ts' of Bill Gillespie’s Record-Breaking Bench Press

At age 62, "Big Bill" shares his wisdom to dominate one of the ultimate strength marks.

Read article
The 50 Best Female Fitness Influencers on Instagram
Girls

The 50 Best Fitness Influencers on Instagram

Follow these fit women we're crushing on for inspiration, workout ideas, and motivation.

Read article
News

Six Things to Know About Conor McGregor Ahead of UFC 202

On a recent media conference call, 'The Notorious' set the record straight on a few things.

by Declan O'Kelly
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Conor McGregor Heavy Bag
View Gallery

Six Things to Know About Conor McGregor Ahead of UFC 202

Close gallery popup button
1 OF 7

1 of 7

Conor McGregor Heavy Bag

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

2 of 7

Conor McGregor

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

3 of 7

Conor McGregor

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.

4 of 7

Conor McGregor

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

5 of 7

Conor McGregor

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

6 of 7

Conor McGregor

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

7 of 7

Conor McGregor

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

There’s never a dull moment with this guy.

Back to intro

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

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

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.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 7, 2016

There’s never a dull moment with this guy.

Topics:
  • Entertainment
  • MMA
  • Sports
Author picture
Written by Declan O'Kelly
Also by Declan O'Kelly
John Cena
News

Cena Celebrates 41 Years With 500-lb Deadlifts

Floyd Mayweather
News

Gym Footage Shows Mayweather Still Has It

Newsletter Signup

Stay up to date

Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners

Muscle & Fitness logo

Follow us

Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

More news

Brian Custer at SportCenter
News

Brian Custer Is Living His Best Life Now after Beating Cancer

The ESPN anchor defeated the disease a decade ago and is now raising awareness worldwide.

Read article
Jack Lalanne wife Elaine Lalanne performing pushups at 97 year old
News

'The First Lady of Fitness, at 97, Is Redefining Fitness and Aging

Elaine LaLanne shares her iconic husband's legacy with the wellness world.

Read article
Jack LaLanne performing great feats throughout his life
News

10 Incredible Feats and Contributions of Jack LaLanne

The Godfather of Fitness was a pioneer and risk-taker, and his wife reveals secrets to his feats.

Read article
All News
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Athletes & Celebrities
  4. /
  5. News
  6. /
  7. Six Things to Know About Conor McGregor Ahead of UFC 202
Muscle & Fitness logo
  • Workouts
  • Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
  • Features
  • Recipes
  • Topics
  • Videos
  • Exercise Videos
  • Podcasts
  • RSS Feed
  • Muscle&Fitness +
  • Buy Olympia Tickets
  • Archives
  • Sitemap
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

Newsletter Signup

Stay up to date

Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners

Muscleandfitness.com is part of a360media Fitness & Health Network

Contact Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Do Not Sell Accessibility Statement

JW Media, LLC

Copyright 2023 JW Media, LLC, parent company of Muscle & Fitness. All rights reserved.