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Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor1859 posts

Conor McGregor is an Irish mixed martial artist, born in 1988. He has primarily competed in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

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8 Jun, 2016

Forbes: 85th highest paid athlete

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Forbes magazine says that McGregor is the 85th highest paid athlete in the world in 2016. He earned a salary of $18m plus endorsements of $4m, giving a total of $22m. By comparison, Floyd Mayweather is in 16th place with earnings of $44m. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the table with earnings of $88m.

UFC star Conor McGregor fought three times over the past 12 months, including headlining two of the three best-selling UFC fights ever on pay-per-view. UFC 194 where McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds had 1.2 million buys. McGregor lost to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 (their rematch will be at UFC 202 in August) which sold a massive 1.5 million units. His cut of PPV revenue pushed McGregor’s earnings in the Octagon to $18 million. The Irishman also banked an estimated $4 million outside the Octagon through appearances and endorsement partners Reebok, Fanatics, Monster Energy, BSN, Bud Light, Rolls Royce and Electronic Arts.

7 Jun, 2016

Respond’s to McGregor’s PPV boast

Brock LesnarInterview0 Comments

In an interview with ESPN’s SportsCenter, Lesnar responds to McGregor’s boast that he has the largest PPV views.

I don’t know him. I know of Conor McGregor. This sport has evolved even from when I first entered the octagon. I think people are finding out that you have to talk the talk, and you have to more importantly, you have to walk the walk. For guys that can talk and walk the walk, I think it’s great. I think it’s great for the company. I’ve got no qualms with anybody. If somebody wants to state that they’re the biggest pay-per-view draw in the world, I don’t care…I’ve never come out and said, ‘I hold the most pay-per-view buys.’ All I know is what I got paid and I’m happy. Like I said, I’m a prize fighter. I don’t hang my championship trophies on the walls because they don’t pay the bills…The true competitor in me is still alive and well and I have to do this. At the top of my career, I wasn’t at the top of my game. I feel like I was cheated out of my career in the UFC. In my mind and in my heart, I never lost to a foe. I never lost to my opponent. I lost to diverticulitis. That was my opponent who beat me.

5 Jun, 2016

McGregor-Diaz confirmed for UFC 202

Nate Diaz0 Comments

UFC confirms McGregor will fight Diaz in UFC 202 in Las Vegas on August 20. McGregor says ESPN.com he wants the rematch to take place at 170 pounds again so that nothing would be different from their first fight.

What kind of fighter would I be if I said, ‘Hey, I didn’t get you at 170, let me try to get you at 155. I’ll make my adjustments. I ate up to the weight. This time, I won’t do that.

3 Jun, 2016

White waiting for Mayweather call

Dana WhiteFloyd Mayweather Jr.Makes Statement0 Comments

White says that he’s still waiting on Mayweather to call him.

People hit me up and say, ‘Did you see Floyd just posted a poster of them squared off and said they’re fighting in September?’ and this and that. Listen, I don’t care what Floyd says. There’s only one way this fight’s happening (and that’s) through me. Floyd’s got to call me. Floyd and I haven’t talked. Here’s the reality: I haven’t talked to Floyd Mayweather once. If you look at how long and how hard it took to get the (Manny) Pacquaio (vs. Mayweather) fight done, that’s the same sport. I don’t know what (Mayweather’s) angle is on this thing with Conor McGregor, but he’s not fighting Conor McGregor without calling me. It’s not going to happen.

Faber: ‘Stay away from boxing, Conor’

Urijah FaberPress Conference0 Comments
At the UFC 199 pre-fight press conference, Faber talks about his plans for the future:
I want the fights that matter, and I don’t know what that timetable is, but I’ve told the UFC brass I want big fights – fights that are going to put money in their pockets, money in my pockets, and staple me as one of the best of all-time.
About a potential McGregor-Mayweather fight:

I actually like Conor. He’s got a mouth on him, I love talking back and forth with him. He’s got some wit about him, he’s got a weakness for Northern California fighters [Nate Diaz] and he’s got a weakness in his submission game, we know that. But he’s a powerful dude…[But] stay away from boxing, Conor. Not that he can’t do great over there, but this is a sport he loves, this is a sport he’s been training for.

UFC 199: Press Conference

Seamus wants McGregor WWE fight

SheamusMakes Statement0 Comments

Sheamus says he would like to fight McGregor in the WWE ring.

It’s entertainment, it’s WWE. I’d do anything. I’d fight anybody, any time, any place, anywhere. I think the gift of the gab would definitely get him through there. I think he’s kind of tailor made for that sort of situation. It’s very hard not to get Conor McGregor to talk. I think he’d do great.

2 Jun, 2016

White looking at other fights for McGregor

Colin CowheardDana WhiteNate DiazInterview0 Comments

In an interview on FOX Sports 1’s The Herd, White says the UFC has begun looking at alternative opponents for McGregor’s next fight after unsuccessfully trying to reach a deal with Diaz.

It’s just madness. It’s just been tough. It’s been a tough go-through, so we’re looking at another fight for Conor right now and we’ll see how this thing comes together. But Conor is just so obsessed with Diaz at 170, it’s been crazy. The reality is that since that Conor McGregor fight — obviously when you win a fight of that magnitude, it has definitely rubbed off on Nate. People do want to see Nate fight. People do want to see this fight again, and I’m one of those guys who, I want to make the fight that people want to see, and I believe people do want to see this fight. But, people do want to see Conor McGregor vs. Frankie Edgar or Jose Aldo again too. I’m sure they would want to see him fight Rafael dos Anjos at 155 for that title, so there’s a lot of fights out there for Conor, if we can’t get this Nate fight done.

Here's what's slowing down the Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz rematch | THE HERD

White: McGregor ‘obsessed’ with fighting Diaz

Dana WhiteNate DiazInterview0 Comments

In an interview with ESPN’s Sportscenter, White says that he is working on McGregor-Diaz matchup.

We’re working on what’s next for him. We’re trying to set up a fight right now. It’s been a little challenging. Obviously the fight he would love to do is the rematch with Nate Diaz. I’m trying to get the deal done…Conor is obsessed with this rematch. I don’t know why, but he is. It’s just his type of personality. He’s obsessed with it. He’s obsessed with fighting Diaz again – at 170 pounds. I don’t know if [the fight] will ever happen, but I’m trying.

Schaub defends McGregor

Brendan SchaubDana White0 Comments

On Cowherd’s show, Schaub defends McGregor

Dana White has a tough job. He’s like the warden of Shawshank…I’m always fighter first. I voice that opinion, which sometimes gets me in trouble but as long as you’re true to yourself, you’re going to be alright. But with Conor, we’ve never had a Conor. Conor’s talking about fighting Floyd Mayweather for $50 million. Go find another guy who could do that. We don’t have him…He’s our pink elephant in a circus full of grey elephants. He’s the pink elephant. You’re going to be able to make some adjustments to that guy. Now I understand he had obligations with the press conference, stuff like that, but he sends out a tweet – his tweet when he retired, was bigger than Kobe Bryant’s retirement tweet. What are we talking about?

Brendan Schaub on Dana White: 'He's like the warden of Shawshank'

Nelson: McGregor won’t fight Mayweather in September

Floyd Mayweather Jr.Gunnar NelsonMakes Statement0 Comments

Nelson says McGregor will not fight Mayweather in September.

They are definitely hyping it up, both of them. Both of them are taking part in it so I think they’d definitely like to build it up – build up the money and make it happen at some point. But, I don’t know how it works with the UFC, they’d have to make some sort of contract with them and include them somehow because most of us know how the UFC deals (are). You can’t just go off and do a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather if you’re signed with the UFC. We’ll see how things go, I definitely don’t think it’s going to happen or whenever they said. September or something is it? I don’t think either New Year’s (Eve) I think that’s a bit too close. I think they’re just putting dates and stuff like that will just hype the whole thing and keep hyping until they get a few hundred million.

Gunnar Nelson doesn't think McGregor/Mayweather happens at all in 2016

31 May, 2016

ESPN interview

Interview0 Comments

McGregor talks to ESPN about his fight with Diaz:

What kind of fighter would I be, if I said, ‘Hey, I didn’t get you at 170, let me try to get you at 155. I’ll make my adjustments. I ate up to the weight. This time, I won’t do that. The first eight minutes of the fight was easy. Let’s be honest, I slapped the head off him. Once the gas tank went, that was it. I drowned. He landed that one punch that rang the bell and went, ‘[Gasp], I’m back.’ He was close to being done. One or two more shots and he would have been wrapped up. Swinging on gymnastic rings on fight week isn’t the best thing. Usually, I wrap myself in bubble wrap and only do fight specific things, but just because of that weight, no weight cut, I had put it in my head that, ‘I’m free.’ I had energy to burn. I was doing so much bounce footwork, the balls of my feet were burned to a crisp. Looking back, it was ridiculous. I don’t know what I was thinking. Look at me right now. Fish, red cabbage, asparagus — I’m nowhere near a fight and I’m on the clock with nutrition.

On the interim title fight between Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo at UFC 200

The fight was my idea. I wanted to have my revenge at 170 and they’re crying and complaining about the 145-pound belt, which I just won three months ago. That division was killed, it was dead. Jose went down in 13 seconds. What more can I do? I traveled the world with that man. I finally got him in the Octagon and he only lasts 13 seconds. I didn’t see a challenge there anymore. So, I wanted to create interest from a fan’s perspective and my perspective. I want to see them two go at it, with an interim belt on the line. Then I will see people walking around my division with a belt and that will intrigue me. It will make me want that belt again.

Van Heerden: McGregor will take Mayweather fight offer

Chris Van HeerdenMakes Statement0 Comments

During his sparring sessions, Van Heerden asked McGregor about the chances of a fight with Mayweather actually manifesting.

He laughed about it and he said ‘Mayweather started it and I’m going with it. And everyone wants it, so if it’s there I’m going to take it’. So that’s all he said and we all had a laugh about it.

On a fight with Diaz:

I spoke to Conor and he is so positive. He actually said ‘You know what? If I get the rematch with Nate, I’m now more confident than ever that I will beat him. I know where I made my mistakes and it was in training camp. I will do better next time. I’m confident I will beat him’

30 May, 2016

Cruz: McGregor a ‘failure of his own success’

Dominick CruzMakes Statement0 Comments

Cruz says that McGregor’s pay means he should do promotion.

When you look at what the UFC wants, they want you to do the media. Conor is a failure of his own success. He’s so good at this media that they’re going to ask him to do a ton. But I’ll be honest, if the UFC said, ‘hey Dominick, we’re going to pay you 100 times what you’re getting paid now and you’re going to make Conor McGregor money,’ I’ll go live with Ariel Helwani for my entire camp, eat everything you eat, do every radio interview you do, go out there and be ready to fight…So it’s like, it’s kind of a mixed thing. He’s getting paid a lot of money to do this stuff, a lot of money, and people want to see it. He’s in high demand. So, because he’s in high demand, that makes him a failure of his own success, if you get what I’m saying.

Posts Mayweather-McGregor poster

Floyd Mayweather Jr.Makes Statement0 Comments

Mayweather posts an image of a poster for a fight with McGregor on Facebook. The poster is undated.

https://www.facebook.com/floydmayweather/photos/a.10150095627418113.276478.363865183112/10153956563013113/?type=3&theater

29 May, 2016

Roach: Mayweather says fight is going to happen

Floyd Mayweather Jr.Freddie RoachInterview0 Comments

Roach says Mayweather visited his gym, and told him to coach McGregor if the fight is announced.

Mayweather did come out to my [Wild Card] gym last week, and he asked me to take that job if it’s offered. He told me the fight’s gonna happen, and we’re gonna make a lot of money. I told Mayweather that it would take me at least three years to get him ready to fight you. Conor McGregor’s a tough guy, but being a tough guy doesn’t really help you much! He looks like an OK boxer, but he’s almost like a beginner…I do know that Floyd’s been training at one of my gyms, and he’s been sparring with some of my professional fighters, and I hear he’s not doing too well with my professionals.

Freddie Roach Weigh-In on the McGregor vs. Mayweather Rumors, Offers to Help McGregor

28 May, 2016

Atlas: McGregor needs years of training to beat Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather Jr.Teddy AtlasMakes Statement1 Comments

ESPN Boxing Ringside Analyst, Atlas, says that McGregor cannot beat Mayweather, even with years of training.

First off, I wouldn’t [train him]. He has no chance in a traditional boxing match. His only chance would be with MMA rules, where he could try to bring Floyd to the mat where he could — of course — easily be the victor. He would need about five years — and I’m being very generous and conservative — of boxing training and experience to even entertain the thought of being competitive with any A-plus-level boxer…If I did train him, at this point I’m not sure what I’d have him do, but I’m sure of what I would not have him do: I wouldn’t have him just attack like the caveman he tries to act like. Being aggressive [although there are many who would believe that is his one and only chance] would not be my advice. He would simply bring on his demise quicker, and you don’t attack a great defensive counter puncher, especially when you are so crude. I would have [him] try and get Floyd to come forward. Teach [McGregor] how to step back and counter, hoping to get Floyd to perhaps be so overconfident that he might be drawn into a trick punch. In other words, a sneak punch.

27 May, 2016

Tate to McGregor ‘Don’t get big headed’

Miesha TateMakes Statement0 Comments

Tate has some advice for McGregor.

He has done amazing things for our sport and he’s a huge piece in all of this, he really is. He’s a star. He’s a great fighter, he’s a great talker, he’s hilarious, he sells cards well. Nobody can refute that. But when you say, ‘someone deserves a break or special treatment,’ I don’t disagree with that. My point is he already gets that. A lot. They wanted to fly him out three months before UFC 200 in a private jet where he could have up to twenty people come with him. No one else gets that. Nobody else. That is preferential treatment. That is special. The UFC has gone above and beyond to accommodate him and you’ve got to think about this too: how did Conor McGregor become Conor McGregor? If there was no UFC you wouldn’t know who he was. It’s been a mutual effort on both their parts. The UFC has spent a tremendous amount of money promoting Conor McGregor and he’s made a lot of money — for himself and for them — but it’s teamwork. They’re both working hard to create something great and it has been great but don’t change now Conor. Stay the course. This is what you’ve been doing this is what got you here. Don’t get big headed and now think that you’re above it because I think that’s the downfall…Maybe there will never be another Conor McGregor like him, but there will be more stars to come.

Machado: Kutcher could beat McGregor

Ashton KutcherRigan MachadoMakes Statement0 Comments

Jujitsu trainer Machado says McGregor, a brown belt, wouldn’t stand a chance against Kutcher, a purple belt, in a grappling match. Machado has trained Chuck Norris.

I put all my money (on) Ashton Kutcher. I think he could do really, really good. He’s 200 pounds, 6-2, 6-3, he’s the best…Ashton Kutcher, for me, is my No. 1 student. He’s a purple belt but he has a really good background in wrestling. I think he has a chance to be one of the top guys in jiu-jitsu.