Rogan: ‘There’s Conor McGregor and there’s everyone else’
Rogan says only McGregor can draw big numbers of fans to the sport.
The next pay-per-view is Holly Holm vs Germaine De Randamie, which is a tough sell. I would buy it, as a hardcore fan [but] it ain’t going to be Conor McGregor numbers…Honestly, there’s Conor McGregor and there’s everyone else. There was a thing the other day that showed that Conor, in three fights, drew more pay-per-view than the entire UFC roster in 2014.
Announces horse racing career
McGregor announces he will be kicking off a career as a horse racing jockey, and competing for a prize of $12 million at the Pegasus World Cup. Lovitz will be his trainer. McGregor:
Alexander wept when he had no more worlds to conquer, That’s exactly how I feel. Today, I would like to announce to the world that I will become the pound-for-pound number one jockey on the planet with the help of my new trainer.
Sport of Kings – meet your new King! @PegasusWorldCup @realjonlovitz pic.twitter.com/IOiqHw8ImC
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 4, 2017
Malignaggi: McGregor will fail in boxing
Malignaggi says McGregor would need to make $100million out of any boxing match because he will have his reputation destroyed.
I feel like most of the opinions of people that watch these kind of fights are probably ignorant and they don’t know anything, and that’s not even said in a disrespectful manner. You’ll get a lot of stupid people that will buy a lot of fights that aren’t worth the time…I think McGregor has some good striking skills. I think the Diaz brothers have some good striking skills, and there’s probably a few other guys, as well. The striking skills in mixed martial arts are a little bit different than the striking skills you need in boxing. In MMA, you can back yourself up with a Muay Thai clinch, or you can spear the guy and take him down, or a kick or throw. The angles are different when they’re coming from a pure boxing perspective. The fact that anybody that thinks it would be a risk for me to fight Conor McGregor in a boxing ring—I get a good laugh out of it. Ultimately, I think the fighters understand that, and because they understand that, I don’t think I ever see Conor McGregor boxing in my lifetime…The only way he’ll take a risk in boxing is if it’s a $100M risk. You may take a beating, but it’s worth it because of the money you’re doing it for. It’s going to totally destroy him. No matter who he boxes, it’s going to ruin his image…If you put him in boxing, you probably have to treat him as a prospect, just like these 20-year-old-prospects that turn pro and get put through the normal phases. You have to start Conor from the beginning. There’s no other way to put it.
Sister shares video of McGregor dancing at wedding
McGregor’s sister Aoife shares video of her family, including the fighter, dancing at her wedding.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOzmCL1AOm_/
Russian MMA fighter shot, beaten and choked in ‘row over Conor McGregor’
Mirzaev, a Russian fighter with 17 wins out of 18 contests, is ambushed as he left his home in Moscow on New Year’s Eve. He is shot three times with a high-powered BB gun, including once in the face, in Moscow, as well as being beaten with a baseball bat and choked with a chain. Items were also stolen from his house. Mirzaev is in a stable condition after surgery to remove the bullets. According to a source, the argument got started when Mirzaev was in a club with Lobov, who trains with McGregor. The fighters were taunted by men from Dagestan in southern Russia who said McGregor was afraid to face undefeated Dagestani fighter Nurmagomedov. Nightclub staff stopped a full-blown brawl but the men “decided to finish the job” and were “waiting at his house”. However Lobov, denies the claims and the attack remains under police investigation:
I did meet [Mirzaev] in Russia. I am so shocked that this happened to him but [it’s] nothing to do with me.
Nurmagomedov wants to fight McGregor in Moscow
Nurmagomedov says he wants to fight McGregor in Russia.
I want to beat Tony Ferguson, take interim bullshit belt, and after, fight with Conor for the real belt. I am famous in Russia and, we have to say, Conor is famous in Russia too. If UFC make a promotional tour all over the world, like Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, New York, Toronto, London, Moscow, Tokyo, everywhere, you know, make this PR programme…And, after this, UFC give me and Conor three months for preparing and make this 80,000 arena in Moscow – I think 100 per cent we can sell all these tickets. If I fight with Conor, I think the UFC makes this in New York or Vegas. Russia – not good for pay-per-view. Ireland – not good for pay-per-view.
Heyman: It would be ‘great’ if McGregor went to WWE
Heyman — best known as the mouthpiece for former UFC champion and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar — says the idea of McGregor taking a run at professional wrestling at some point in the future.
It’d be great if he was. He’s a main line box office attraction. He’s a headline news grabber. I think it’d be great for WWE and I think it would be even better for Conor McGregor…[the wrestlers who responded to him on Twitter are] suckers. Hook line and sink…There are people mentioning him by name here using our platforms to promote him. He’s not mentioning anybody by name here. Why? Because he has a platform all of his own. That makes him a huge box office attraction, being promoted by other box office attractions that spend their equity talking about him. Kudos to him. He outsmarted everybody, except for me, except for Brock Lesnar.
Garbrandt calls out Aldo, McGregor, wants ‘money fight’
Despite initially saying he wanted a rematch with Dominick Cruz, Garbrandt now says he wants to go up against Aldo.
I need to sit down with [UFC bosses] and find out the biggest money fight for me. I know I can go up and fight with Jose Aldo. You know, he has wins over my teammates, he’s a legend and I’d like to test his chin. I know I hit hard, I’m just getting started. And I also know the biggest fight’s with Conor [McGregor]. I can easily go up like my homie Nate Diaz, and choke him out and I can’t believe he’s the number 2 [pound for pound] when he got choked out…I’ll fight anybody, but to be honest, I truly believe I’m ready to fight…and I’m a draw. And I want the biggest money fight for me right now. I think I saw that Jose Aldo would like to fight me, I would like to test his chin. Whatever benefits me, I’m the champ.
Rousey $3m payday equals McGregor
Rousey earned $3 million for her 48-second defeat at the hands of Nunes,matching those of McGregor’s most recent fight with Eddie Alvarez. Nunes earned $150,000 from the fight.
GQ: McGregor fourth best dressed man of the year
GQ Magazine names McGregor as the fourth the best dressed men of 2016. The list was compiled by Giorgio Armani, Sarah Burton, Tom Ford, Elton John, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood. Drake beats lat year’s winner, Eddie Redmayne, to the top of the chart. McGregor:
There are two things I really like to do and that’s whoop ass and look good.
Posts pic with Kavanagh
McGregor posts a photo with coach Kavanagh at McGregor’s sister’s wedding.
Proudly holding up the deuce at the end of 2016 with my coach!
What a year and what a journey it has been! pic.twitter.com/819SrQmJa1— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 1, 2017
Posts New Year message from sister’s wedding
McGregor shares a picture with his father at his sister Aoife’s wedding. He also shares a New Year’s message with his fans.
God bless and happy New Year to all my family, my friends and my fans! We are going to toast tonight!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOsOE4lhO6k/
Nurmagomedov: UFC hiding McGregor, wants Ferguson fight
After Dana White says Nurmagomedov will not fight Ferguson (due to money issues) and that the Russian fighter’s father had turned down a bout with Jose Aldo, Nurmagomedov says the UFC is hiding McGregor from him, and asks to fight Ferguson.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOnVl_aj2Y1/
White: Nick Diaz turned down every fight offered by UFC
During the UFC 207 Media Scrum, White says Nick Diaz has turned down every welterweight fight offered by UFC, including a fight against McGregor. Diaz reportedly turned down the McGregor fight to keep it for his brother, Nate.
Weight debates aside, Dana White told me he's offered Nick Diaz fights at welterweight. According to White, he's turned them all down.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) December 28, 2016
I have confirmed that Nick Diaz recently turned down a fight with UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) December 28, 2016
Apparently Nick said no to the offer because “That is Nate’s fight” and he wouldn’t take that away from his little brother.
— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) December 28, 2016
Third place in CBS ‘Fighter of Year’ awards
CBS Sports gives McGregor third place in its UFC Fighter of the Year award.
Now, before you start throwing stones, please remember that McGregor is the only fighter on this list to even suffer a loss in 2016. The Irishman continues to do some of the craziest things in the sport, bringing in more fans than any other fighter. McGregor fought twice at 25 pounds above his original weightclass. People questioned McGregor’s decision to take on Diaz at 170 pounds originally in March and those calls got louder after he lost via submission. But when he came back in August and earned a majority decision win, as has been the case throughout his UFC career, Conor got the last laugh.
First place goes to heavyweight Stipe Miocic.
White: McGregor not scheduled for any fights
Despite McGregor saying he could fight earlier than May 2017. White says he is not currently looking to book McGregor into any fights.
The last conversation that Conor and I had he was taking 10 months off. I’m not even thinking about Conor. Conor is not in my plans for the next 10 months. We run a business where we make fights. I know who’s available and I know who’s not available. Conor told me ‘I’m not available for 10 months, we’re having a baby, my girl stresses out when I fight and I don’t want to put that on her while she’s pregnant.’ I love it, I respect it, I get it. Do your thing, buddy…That’s it. He’s not in any of our plans for the next 10 months.
Posts sparring session with ‘The Mountain’
McGregor reposts a video of him sparring against 6ft9 400lb Bjornsson, who plays ‘The Mountain” in Game of Thrones.
show me one more motherf-cker bareknuckle with an 8 footer and sitting him down
#showme#p4p#bigbread
Diaz reminds McGregor of trilogy fight promise
Diaz calls out McGregor’s statement before UFC 202 that he would “100%” fight Diaz in a trilogy fight. McGregor:
The way it all panned out I’ve got other business to look after after this but, make no mistake, it will be a trilogy down the line. It won’t be straight away but we will do it three times. 100%.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOirc7AjaCP/
Rogan: McGregor will fight Nurmagomedov next
Rogan says McGregor will fight Nurmagomedov next.
The UFC is about to go to Russia. They want to get in there. Conor McGregor versus Khabib Nurmagomedov, that’s what I think is up. Giant!
Joe Rogan Predicts Conor McGregor's Next Fight https://t.co/YyyyXVsGFZ
— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) December 27, 2016
Abdelaziz: McGregor will fight Woodley next
Abdelaziz, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager, says that McGregor’s next fight will be against Woodley at welterweight (170 pounds). He also says Dana White’s comments about McGregor being “too small” to fight at that weight are part of a negotiating strategy.
Let me make a prediction: McGregor’s next fight is going to be Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title. This is the fight that’s going to happen. Every sign is this is going to happen.