McGregor on Mayweather: ‘Show me the money’
At the UFC 202 press scrum, McGregor talks about Mayweather.
Right now, I have Floyd running around the Showtime offices gathering my money. That’s what he’s doing. He’s running around the Showtime offices, begging those executives to come up with the $100 million cash he needs to fight me. As soon as he gets my money, we can fight…Look, If you want to fight me, we can fight. If you need a specific rule set to protect you from a true fight, that’s no problem. Just make sure that money is there. As long as that money is there, we can fight under your safe net of rules. With me, I don’t need rules. I am the f-cking rules.
I’ve got the boxing community saying “I can’t box”, and then I say “okay lets fight,” “Oh well you can’t kick or elbow or grapple… as long as you can’t do that then we’ll box your ass up.” And then I’ve got the grappling community saying “I can’t grapple” so I say “okay let’s fight” and then the grappling community [say] “oh well you can’t box or kick, as long as you can’t do that, then we’ll grapple your ass up”. All these people saying I can’t do this or I can’t do that, well lets fight then and then all of a sudden rules, you need to bring in rules to protect them. I don’t need no rules to protect me, I can fight any way.
I don’t really hold it against [Floyd], I wouldn’t wanna come into my world no way. I mean how is he gonna come into my world, he’s a novice where I come from. He’s a phenomenal boxer, a phenomenal athlete, an intelligent businessman, but he’s a novice in true fighting and that’s just simple fact. I don’t blame him, trying to set rules under the boxing rules. And like I said, I’ve no problem going over there. I would not show up unconfident. I would show up to kill that man and take that win down 100%. Why dominate one world when you can dominate two? We’ll see how that plays out.
UFC Bad Blood: McGregor Spars with Southpaws
UFC releases a second trailer for Bad Blood, showing McGregor sparring with southpaws, including Wallace.
I’m certainly preparing a lot more specific. Usually, I don’t prepare specific, because they always pull out, every time. I know Nate will show up. This time I know this fight will go down. This time I know I’ll be facing a tall, lanky southpaw, with the height, the weight, and the reach on me. So I am preparing accordingly…I’m feeling very confident. It’s gonna be a bad night for Nate.
Kavanagh:
For the first fight we didn’t even have one training session with a similar opponent. Now, it’s all we’ve done for the last few months.
UFC 202 Bad Blood: Diaz vs. McGregor 2
McGregor and Diaz appear in UFC 202 Bad Blood: Diaz vs. McGregor 2, a preview of the UFC 202 fight, released by UFC.
UFC 202 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1
All the fighters appearing at UFC 202 — McGregor, Diaz, Johnson and Teixeira — are featured in a Vlog Embedded Episode. Diaz is seen shopping at Whole Foods; Johnson is shown weight training; Teixeira is shown running; and McGregor shown at breakfast and doing cardio training on a bike. McGregor:
I do a sprint on the treadmill, and on the rowing machine, and then I do my endurance on the bike. That’s my cardio finished.
Diaz:
He can talk all the shit he wants. Don’t bug me none…He’s been watching me the whole time. After that last fight he’s doing what he should be doing. Training and doing more rounds. Who gave him the game plan?
MMA Hour livestream
McGregor and Coach Kavanagh appear on a livestream for MMA Hour. Kavanagh is scheduled to speak at 2:25pm ET, McGregor at 4:00pm ET.
Kavanagh: Training Camp created ‘perfect fighter’
In his interview on MMA Hour, Kavanagh talks about the effect of McGregor’s training camp.
I think the first round of the fight was all Conor. I think there is the technical superiority there. I don’t think that will have changed with 18 weeks training. I don’t think Nate will have been able to catch up on that. Clearly the way the contest ended, there was a substantial conditioning difference between the two. That’s what we have changed. Skill wise, it takes maybe ten years, the 10,000 hour rule, to get to a mastery level in something. But conditioning wise, 18 weeks is a lifetime… So I think he is the somewhat perfect MMA fighter now.
On McGregor’s mood:
I have never seen him like this six days out from a fight. Six days out from a fight is normally…you got to creep around the house a bit because the weight cut’s in, he’s tired of training at this stage and all the media obligations. Where we didn’t have to do all that much this time, there is no weight to be cut, training went perfect. He is like a kid on Christmas Eve.
‘I will be fighting in enemy territory’
In his MMA Hour interview, McGregor says there are likely to be fewer Irish fans in attendance this Saturday than at recent bouts, something that he predicted would create a different, perhaps hostile, atmosphere.
I estimate that I will be fighting in enemy territory this time. Usually it’s been home for me in this place, with the travelling fans. I estimate that I will be going in to a war zone here, that’s what I’m estimating, that’s what I’ve been preparing for, that’s what I’m looking forward to. But there are many reasons why the Irish fans can’t make it. The [UFC] 200 debacle, where they took me off that card – people had already purchased tickets for that. Then of course the European Championships, then the Olympics, there is a lot of stuff going on and, of course, I’m an active fighter. I fight every goddamn month. I fight all the f-cking time. As far as ticket sales, ticket sales have been good. It’s a 20,000 seater stadium, if it was the MGM, it’s already sold out. So the ticket sales have been great for such a big arena, at this time of year, the end of summer, with everything going on. Now I understand that it’s big business out here, and that’s why we are here. I’ve got to handle my self too, as much as I want to perform for my fans back home and I want to have shows back home, I’ve still got to handle my business out here. I know my countrymen will be supporting me wherever they are. I know there will be may here in town and I know there will be even more back home in Ireland and all over the world supporting me.
BT Sport interview
McGregor speaks exclusively to BT Sport’s Pearce. On fighting Diaz at the same weight as UFC 196.
He got me at that specific weight. I can’t say ‘move down a weight and I’ll get you there’. What kind of fighter is that? What kind of man would I be if I was to say that. I don’t feel the size was the reason. Now in saying that, he’s gotten even bigger than the last fight. He hasn’t had to focus on that 155 pound cut. He’s been eating well I’m sure and growing naturally. I’m facing an even bigger man. But you know what? I’m excited about that, and I’ve put in the correct preparation for that.
McGregor sparring video
0 0 Mark Devlin Mark Devlin2016-08-16 13:39:132016-08-16 16:34:59McGregor sparring videoUFC 202 Embedded Vlog – Episode 2
On Episode 2 of UFC 202 Embedded, Cerrone water jets and wakeboards at the lake; Johnson visualizes fight night then goes to a gym in Florida; Teixeira follows an ice bath with some homegrown vegetables; Diaz is shown training, and McGregor talks about training with Danis. McGregor:
We came out here eight weeks early. You need to acclimatise to this air. It’s desert out here. It’s unforgiving out here. We got the gym set up — state of the art facility. And I brought out my team. People who’ve been grinding with me since day one… If feel I jumped up three levels, as a martial artist, as a fighter, and as a man. It’s been an amazing experience.
McGregor: Diaz was lucky
In an interview with MMA Podcast, McGregor says Diaz was lucky.
I truly believe…all you got to do is look at his corner. How they went from panic to elation. They were jumping around, like they had literally won the lotto, when Nate was beginning to get the upper hand. Whereas if you look at my corner, it was emotionless from start to finish. They got lucky. That’s what we feel. August 20 I will prove that.
On his attitude to the upcoming fight:
This is most certainly not another fight. We have been going to war every single day in the gym. This is a war for me.
Would have quit after retirement tweet
In his interview with MMA Hour, McGregor says he would have quit after his tweet.
If it came down to it, I would have [retired]. But I mean, good luck keeping an Irish man from a fight. I woulda shown up and slapped someone the way it was all going down, but f-ck it. I was happy, when it all came down to it. For a day I was like f-ck it, I am retired! Put the feet up I did that night, had a f-cking drink, went out. Then it kinda got a little more serious…Whatever, it was a crazy experience. But if it came down to it, f-ck yeah. I’d have a knock somewhere else. I don’t know what would have happened, but like I said, I’m comfortable. Win, lose draw, whatever happens its shrimp spaghetti to start for me for the rest of my life. I’m eating good for the rest of my days. Whatever happens, happens. But I do enjoy a good old fashioned knock, so that’s why I’m happy to be back.
Smashing the Treadmill video
0 0 Mark Devlin Mark Devlin2016-08-16 19:44:202016-08-16 19:44:20Smashing the Treadmill video
UFC 202 Pre-fight Press Conference
White will introduce McGregor, Diaz, Johnson and Teixeira at the UFC Pre-fight Press Conference. Starting 1pm PT/ 4pm ET/ 9pm GMT.
Says UFC 200 ‘bombed’ without him
In an interview with GQ, McGregor says UFC 200 was not successful without him.
People spend a lot of money to come see me fight from my hometown (in Ireland), and they had already purchased tickets, so I wanted to get back on that card. They weren’t having it. They didn’t put me on the card — that’s OK —and the card bombed. I was ringside. The fights weren’t great, but now here we are.
UFC 202 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 3
UFC releases UFC 202 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 3. McGregor gets styled for a magazine cover shoot and studies his technique; Diaz hits the gym. Johnson tours New York City and Teixeira gets in one last training session before packing for fight week. Cerrone cruises the Strip on a motorcycle.
UFC 202 Press Conference Water Bottle fight
White introduces the UFC 202 fighters, however McGregor does not appear for over 17 minutes. After a few minutes Diaz and his entourage leaves for the door, while his team shouts insults at McGregor, who responds:
Shut your f-king mout. Shut your mouth. You’ll do nothin’. Not one of yous will do nothin’.
After Diaz throws a water bottle towards McGregor, he responds by throwing a couple of bottles towards Diaz. White then closes the press conference.
Talks about bottle-throwing incident
McGregor talks about the bottle-throwing incident at the UFC 202 pre-fight press conference.
We’re brand new. We’re absolutely brand new. It was handbags. If they want to fight, let’s fight…They tried to bottle me. If they throw bottles I’ll throw cans. It was all in self defense. I was scared for my life. [Interviewer: were you really?] No…I’m good. I have a fight Saturday night and I get to punch him in the face.
UFC Sportscenter interview
McGregor talks about the bottle-throwing incident on UFC Sportscenter.
I see it as handbags. They walked out shouting and talking. What was it? We’re here ready to fight, we’re ready for war. Let’s bring it.
On why he was late:
When a McGregor shows in town the traffic builds up, so we were just a little bit caught in the Las Vegas traffic. I was just a couple of minutes late, that’s all. At least I showed up this time.
UFC 202 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4
UFC releases the fourth episode of its Embedded Vlog. Diaz goes through his promotional obligations. McGregor continues to push himself in the gym. Things go sideways at the official press conference when McGregor is late and Diaz and McGregor get into a water bottle fight. Diaz:
F-k your whole team.
