Silva wants McGregor fight
During a UFC 208 media scrum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Silva says he wants to figh tMcGregor.
I’d like to test myself against Conor because he’s an interesting martial artist. His stand-up game is an intelligent game. Not because he’s champion now, but for the martial arts challenge. I’d like to see how these stand-up techniques, his and mine, would mix, and how that would go. But not to fight for a belt or anything like that. For the challenge, an interest, that thing about knowing how a fight like this would go. I believe he can make 176, 178 pounds, right? That’s a weight I can get. We started this work and I got to 174, but…my team and my doctor decided to stay in my division.
Frampton: McGregor ‘stands alone’ at the top
Frampton praises McGregor, saying that but that McGregor reached out to him before some of his previous fights.
For combat sports probably (we are the top two) but I think McGregor stands alone. He is a huge name all over the world. He is a massive star who I admire a lot but I am pretty happy with what I am doing and the fan base I got. We’re completely different characters. McGregor is doing his thing. But fair play to him. He seems to be raking it in and why not? I really like him. I haven’t met him yet. I’m still looking to meet him. He’s never been to a fight of mine. But he’s watched me a few times, he’s sent me a few video messages privately just to wish me luck in fights. He’s a good guy. He has this persona, but he’s playing the game and fair play to him.
Reigns: Rousey can succeed in WWE
Reigns says Rousey can succeed in WWE.
I think she’s one of those athletes that gets that attention and all eyes are on her. So I think she definitely has the background, and she’s got the base to build on, so she’s got a great foundation.
Ferguson: McGregor is a ‘poor bastard’ who has never defended a title ‘in his entire life’
Ferguson calls out McGregor for never having had to defend a belt.
Who knows if ‘McNuggets’ is going to come in there and defend his belt. That poor bastard has never defended even one belt in his entire life. If he’s trying to box – I will go toe-to-toe with that mother f-cker, and I will knock him out. That dude is going to try to go with [Floyd] Mayweather, the Olympic boxer? It’s OK, son. It’s a completely different sport. Come back over here, 155-pound division and defend your belt if you’re really man enough. [McGregor and Nurmagomedov] are puzzles that I got that missing pieces to. I got that missing piece for these guys. That’s something a lot of these guys haven’t figured out. I’m the antidote for these viruses.
McGregor’s father talks about his son growing up
McGregor’s father talks about how he saw his son grow into a man through MMA.
I didn’t think this was something he could do as a career. It was only until I saw him in Cage Warriors. When his opponent was called out, I just saw this big, block house coming out to music and lights. I looked at this guy and he was more mature in years than Conor, he would’ve been about 25, 26 or 27, even. And I thought, ‘Oh boy, this is my son’s opponent.’ And then they announced Conor and Conor came out to the music and lights, and when he walked down that ramp, I didn’t see a boy then, I saw a man. That always gets me — my boy becoming a man. It just gets me all the time. He got it right. It’s not often that a father would admit that. But, my son was right and his father was wrong. I knew then he had a career.
Diaz: UFC has ‘put him on the shelf’
Diaz says the UFC is sidelining him.
I know what this is: I’m being put on the shelf. That’s why I’m trying to get a boxing license…No one says they want a big-deal fight against me. If someone wants to fight, then let’s make a big deal.
White will not talk to Pacquiao promoter about McGregor fight
White says he will not take calls from Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, about a McGregor fight.
Listen, I love Manny Pacquiao. But I don’t love Bob Arum. You can tell Arum to save his money and not make any calls over here because we aren’t doing business with him.
Frampton issues challenge to Selby
Frampton says that after he beats Santa Cruz he has his sights set on Selby.
I think that’s a huge fight. It’s appealing to the boxing public, especially in the UK. Maybe not so much in the States, but it’s a big fight in this part of the world. I believe, although Lee has been more established as a featherweight, and he’s had a few defences of his title, I believe I’m the draw in that fight. I’m the one that sells the tickets and if the fight is going to happen, it happens on our terms and happens in Belfast. If he’s willing to come to Belfast and have a unification fight with me in the summer after I beat Santa Cruz, then I’m happy to have it. He’s a very good fighter, he’s someone who I have talked about a lot and I respect him. I think him and his brother Andrew are two of the most skilful fighters in the UK, but I just want to be involved in these big fights. It’s another unification fight, it’s another chance for me to create more of a legacy and more history. These are the type of fights that I want to be involved in.
Nurmagomedov: No McGregor rematch, but will loan him money
Nurmagomedov says that once he beats McGregor there will be no rematch, and he also says he will give McGregor a loan if he needs it.
After I finish [Ferguson], then Conor and after I finish Conor, UFC will maybe want to make rematch. But I say, ‘No, calm down. You have to stand in line.’ I came to the UFC to fight with top-level fighters and become the undisputed, undefeated champion. This is my goal. A lot of people fight with [McGregor] because of money. I can give him money if he needs money.
Dillashaw takes on McGregor-give nickname
After McGregor called him a “Snake in the Grass,” Dillashaw uses snake imagery in a post against Cody Garabrant, and uses the snake as his logo for TUF 25.
Almost time to assemble my team for the Snake Den!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPiNTOWh2Uo/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPjFp8AhJZE/
Collins brothers offer to help McGregor beat Mayweather
Collins, who beat Chris Eubank in 1995, says that if McGregor is willing to be trained by his brother, Paschal, he could beat Mayweather.
If he comes up with my brother and does training in his gym, and if he gets a Mayweather fight, we’ll sit down and put together a plan for him to beat Mayweather and if he follows our plan, he’ll beat him. Everybody can be beaten if you put together the right plan. I know that from experience…I looked at Mayweather and said, ‘Do you know what, if Conor is going to beat him, this is how he could do it’. My brother Paschal and I sat down and we put together a strategy, one day chatting, on how we would prepare him to fight Mayweather. We would show him how to win…We communicate with him and John Kavanagh’s his trainer, he’s a great guy. John Kavanagh knows that we are the boxing brains in Ireland. The only reason I’m saying that is because McGregor has the ability to do it. He’s a super athlete who can change his style. Some guys are set, ingrained in a certain way of fighting. He’s not. He can change. That’s what makes him great and that’s why he’s so popular.
Kavanagh: A Mayweather fight would make McGregor’s training a lot easier
Kavanagh says training for a Mayweather boxing match would be easier than the average MMA fight.
In a weird way, you’re getting prepared to fight one of the best boxers there’s ever been. But in another way, it would actually almost feel like a break for us because we wouldn’t have to keep up the other skill sets. In mixed martial arts your trying to work on seven or eight different skill sets. Whereas in boxing, it’s one…it’s just boxing. It’d almost be like a break to only have to work on one and not work on everything. If the deal is right and the two of them come to an agreement and that happens we’ll of course plan for that and bring in some of the experts. But I’ll still be playing my little role in the corner.
White: McGregor doesn’t need Mayweather to sell PPVs
White says McGregor can pull more pay-per-views than Mayweather, and talks about Manny Pacquiao’s earnings.
Here’s the thing, Manny Pacquiao ended up doing that fight and you hear all these numbers thrown around, but it’s something like Floyd got $250 [million], Manny got $100 [million]. It’s still a lot of money for both guys, but it’s not a big fight without Manny. Manny was as important in that fight as Floyd was…I’m going to tell you why Conor McGregor is still doing over a million pay-per-view buys and Floyd isn’t. Because Conor McGregor will fight anybody, anywhere, anytime, including Floyd Mayweather. He absolutely is that guy. Whether Conor fights Floyd or he doesn’t, there’s a line of guys that are ready to fight Conor that Conor will fight that are going to do over a million pay-per-view buys. Conor McGregor loves to fight and he is one of those guys that will take on anyone, anywhere. Floyd keeps putting this thing on his social media of Conor getting choked by (Nate) Diaz, but Conor fights.
Says new MMA rules are dangerous
Sonnen, who faces Tito Ortiz in the main event of this weekend’s Bellator card, says new MMA rules saying that if a fighter had one hand on the canvas he was to be considered a grounded fighter, make the sport more dangerous. The rule:
Any part of the body, other than a single hand and soles of the feet touching the fighting area floor. To be grounded, both hands palm/fist down, and/or any other body part must be touching the fighting area floor. A single knee, arm, makes the fighter grounded without having to have any other body part in touch with the fighting area floor. At this time, kicks or knees to the head will not be allowed.
Now that the rule is in effect, Sonnen say that it could lead to fighters picking up unnecessary damage.
I don’t know them all yet. I know what a grounded fighter is, which makes the sport extremely more dangerous. One thing this sport did not need was more danger. It’s a pretty wide-open combat sport. I was very surprised that rule got passed, I was very surprised that anybody suggested it.
Pacquiao willing to fight McGregor
Pacquiao says he is open to fighting McGregor if the Mayweather fight doesn’t happen.
In boxing? In boxing [I would fight McGregor] but not in [UFC], just boxing. I didn’t see [footage of Conor sparring]. But if we are talking about Conor McGregor and boxing, it’s different. Boxing is different than MMA.
Nunes: Rousey can come back
Nunes, speaking of her own experience in past defeats, says Rousey can come back.
I already passed this moment in my career. It’s harder to lose but if you be strong, you’ll be able to come back like I did. Make some changes, adjust. The passion in her life, the family has to be with her. The base is very important. Make some changes in her camp, move to another gym and come back strong.
She also says she was surprised Rousey continued to trade blows with her.
I think it was ego. “I knew she was gonna try to strike with me and I think that was the completely wrong strategy to fight a girl like me.
Nurmagomedov: Ferguson tougher than McGregor
Nurmagomedov says McGregor is holding up the division, and that Ferguson is a stronger opponent.
Because he never defends his belts. He never [defended] his Cage Warriors belts, never defended his featherweight belt, and now UFC lightweight, I don’t think is different. But he has to defend. We’ll see. I don’t think about this too much. I think about Tony and March 4. This is the biggest fight in my life…I feel Tony’s tougher than Conor. Because if I take [Conor] down, fight finished. If I take down Tony, we have to fight. Take down Conor, what’s he going to do? His condition is very bad. His spirit, his heart is small. I think Tony’s tougher than Conor.
Ferguson: McGregor will get his ‘ass kicked’ by Mayweather
Ferguson says he’s frustrated by McGregor holding up the division.
It’s for an interim title. It should be for the real shit. Am I little pissed about it? Yeah. Is Conor going to defend his belt? Little shit. Probably not. He’s going to run. Go ahead. Go run. Go try to box so you can get your ass kicked, too, then when you’re ready to come back they’re going to strip your belt. At 155, I’m going to be holding that and you’re going to be like ‘oh I want my belt back’. I don’t give a f-ck. This is the real fight. The fight’s between Khabib and Ferguson. That’s the real deal fight…Honestly I could give two shits about it. He’s got his family, he’s got his things, he’s got his hands full. He’s a grown-ass man, he can handle his own shit. Same thing with me. I’m here to kick everybody’s ass in this division. I’m not going to excuse anybody of an ass whooping.
Woodley: Race a factor in treatment of fighters
Woodley says he has not been treated as well as other fighters because he is African-American.
People don’t like to hear it, but it’s the culture of our sport. We’re dealing with a different set of rules…UFC fans in general go through niches, genres of people. This is the genre where they want to see a clean-cut guy like [Thompson], doing razzle-dazzle, super flashy…The second I bring up race in the sport, I’m immediately race-baiting. But I can point out clear facts, where no other champion has been treated like me.
Let’s put the cards on the table, real is real. If I was a different complexion, I think people and fans would treat me a different way…I’m by far the worst-treated champion in the history of the UFC.
Mayweather taunts McGregor’s earning power
Mayweather tweets about what he ses as McGregor’s (lack of) earning power.
Before you ask for $25M, be worth more than $25M. You have the "2" and the "5" right but you meant to say $2.5M not $25M. pic.twitter.com/07vaWF0hen
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) January 19, 2017