Referee McCarthy responds to Cormier’s post-UFC 214 apology
In response to Cormier’s apology to Referee McCarthy, which he posted after his loss to Jon Jones….
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXMcRjEhW6j/
…McCarthy responds:
1/2 @dc_mma U have nothing to apologize for. You have been an incredible champion who has represented the sport of MMA with class & dignity
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) July 31, 2017
2/2 @dc_mma you also fought a great fight against an incredible competitor. It was an honor being in the cage with 2 of the greatest #AskBJM
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) July 31, 2017
Eubank Sr.: McGregor ‘is an Irishman. They are a special people’
Eubank Sr. says that McGregor’s Irish spirit may be the deciding factor that gets him the win against Mayweather. Eubank Sr. holds a keen interest in the fight because it echoes the fight he had with Steve Collins two decades ago, when Collins won, unexpectedly. Eubank Sr.:
What everyone is missing, what they’re not thinking about, what is so obvious — everyone is forgetting that he is an Irishman. They are a special people. I’m not bumping them up — I’m not Irish. I’m just saying my observations of the spirit of this people, they are amazing…I’m not talking about Conor McGregor. I’m not talking about an MMA fighter. I’m talking about an Irishman and an Irishman is always to be respected and that is where it is likely, it is possible, that Mayweather Jr. has taken his eye off the target…What is he fighting? You’re not fighting an MMA fighter, you’re not fighting a guy who is maybe limited in traditional boxing. You’re fighting an Irishman and that is enough. How do I know? I lived this.
Rogan apologises for Cormier interview
After coming under criticism for interviewing Cormier after he lost to Jon Jones, Rogan apologises. Normally, the losing fighter is not interviewed because they may be concussed, or not in a fit state to take questions.
https://twitter.com/LeadingSports_/status/891733365153349632
My apologies to DC and to everyone else upset at me for interviewing him after the fight. In all honesty, I was kind of in shock and I don’t think I realised what I was doing until I had a mic in my hand and I was talking to him. I’ve said that I don’t want to interview fighters after they’ve been KO’d and then I did it to someone that I care a great deal about. It was 100% my f**k up and no one pressured me to do it. I was beating myself up about it all night, and whenever something like that happens it’s always my sincere intention to apologise and express my honest feelings. It’ll never happen again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXLXbyjnWXF/
Jones: McGregor ‘tremendous inspiration to me’
After his victory at UFC 214, Jones talks about McGregor:
Conor McGregor, he has been a tremendous inspiration to me. He has shown me, who has been at the upper echelon of this sport for many years now, he has shown me that these huge paydays are possible. I never thought in my time as champion that we would be able to see fighters making $70 million or whatever he’s making for this (Floyd) Mayweather fight. It’s an inspiration that you can do it. I see it as possible, and that’s what McGregor has done for me.
Lesnar responds to Jon Jones callout
After Jones beats Daniel Cormier he calls out Lesnar:
Brock Lesnar! If you want to know what it feels like to get beat by somebody who weighs 40 pounds less than you…meet me in the Octagon.
"Brock Lesnar… Meet me in the Octagon!" 🎤@JonnyBones 👊@BrockLesnar 💪
The definition of a super fight!! #UFC214 pic.twitter.com/06TOfsQTzf
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) July 30, 2017
To which Lesnar responds:
Be careful what you wish for, young man.
Brock Lesnar responded to Jon Jones (via the AP): "Be careful what you wish for, young man.” #UFC214
— Wrestling Observer (@WONF4W) July 30, 2017
Sinead O’Connor wants to sing for McGregor in Vegas
O’Connor has offered to perform Conor McGregor’s walk-on song as he prepares to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next month. The Irish star sang The Foggy Dew before McGregor’s UFC entrance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before a fight in 2015, and now she wants to bring him luck in Las Vegas again. On her personal Facebook account, Sinead has asked McGregor to send her U.S. doctor Nabil Siddiqi an autograph, calling the medic, who has helped her overcome a series of mental health issues:
[He is] the biggest Conor McGregor fan on earth. He totally saved my life so I can keep singing for your fights.
Adams confident she can beat McGregor in boxing ring
Nicola Adams, the double-Olympic gold medalist, says Mayweather will win against McGregor:
I can see the interest, for me, Floyd Mayweather’s going to win hands down. It’s just a show really for everybody, a bit of a performance, a bit of entertainment. It’s not something you get to see everyday, a UFC fighter boxing a top class boxer, I definitely see Floyd Mayweather winning by knockout.
Asked how she’d do against McGregor:
[I’d win] yeah, definitely. Yeah definitely in the boxing ring, I don’t know about in the octagon, but in the boxing ring.
Frampton apologizes to fans
Frampton releases a message, apologising to his fans for the cancellation of his fight with Gutierrez.
Mayweather: ‘I’m knocking McGregor the f-ck out!’
In a promo clip for the upcoming fight, Mayweather warns:
I’m knocking McGregor the f-ck OUT!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXHGmCIjOru/
Dalby: McGregor ‘prepared for 12 rounds’
Dr. Julian Dalby, the man behind McGregor’s cardiovascular system TheMacLifeFast, says fans don’t have to worry about McGregor being able to go twelve rounds with Mayweather, if necessary.
We are just four weeks out now [and] Conor looks great…He is prepared in all aspects of his training to the extreme. If the fight lasts 30 seconds, Conor is ready. If the fight was to go on for one hour straight, he is ready for that too…Floyd is a one trick fighter, whereas Conor is a complete fighter and is adaptable.
McGregor brought in Dalby, and they created TheMacLifeFast program, after McGregor tired early and lost to Diaz in UFC 196.
The problem with Conor was that he used over-train himself, so we now have a full schedule in place with proper rest days. With this program we plan on taking all of MMA to the next level.
Mayweather’s ex: Domestic violence no joke
Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, releases a statement (link) asking McGregor to refrain from profiting from her and other victims’ suffering from domestic abuse. McGregor taunted Mayweather by wearing an NBA jersey of C.J. Watson — the man Floyd accused Josie of secretly texting in 2010, which led to Mayweather attacking Harris, for which he spent two months in jail. Harris’ attorney:
[The stunt] demonstrates not only an insensitivity toward the emotional wellbeing and privacy of the victim of Mayweather’s domestic violence, but also a general disregard for the physical and emotional trauma and long-lasting psychological impacts suffered by victims of domestic abuse. On behalf of Josie Harris, her and Mayweather’s three children, and all victims of domestic violence, we ask that Conor McGregor refrain from capitalizing off of the trauma suffered by her and other victims of domestic abuse.
Mayweather: ‘I’m gonna make a sh*t ton of money’
Mayweather uploads a snap of himself on a private jet with wads of cash laying in front of him.
Champion. Predictions: I’m gonna make a sh*t ton of money on August 26.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXD4KDqgX3x/
Cruz: ‘McGregor can get it done in six rounds’
Former UFC bantamweight champion Cruz, talks about the upcoming McGregor-Mayweather fight.
If I had to look at the basics of the fight, Mayweather’s a little bit older, he’s got the experience factor in boxing. I think Conor has the age on his side, I think he has probably the durability on his side. He’s got the height on his side, I think he has the power — the one punch power — over a certain amount of rounds. But I think that this fight is going to be dictated over the first six rounds. That’s when Conor has his shot to do the most damage to Mayweather…
And his prediction:
If I was going to make a prediction, I would see Conor having a real chance of a TKO or knockout in the first six rounds. … I think he can get it done in six rounds. I want him to get it done. That’s for MMA. This is mixed martial arts versus boxing. This is what it’s all come down to. … This is the best boxer of all time. [Mayweather’s] a defensive genius. Conor goes out there and beats him; he’s the best ever. That’s just all there is to it.
Kavanagh: McGregor is ‘in the best condition I’ve ever seen’
Coach Kavanagh talks about how training is going with McGregor at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
I’ve been with Conor a while. This is the best physical condition I’ve ever seen him in. [He has an] unparalleled work ethic.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXC826uAu-C/
Mayweather wants £100 PPV for UK
Hearn, who is Anthony Joshua’s promoter, talks about speculation that the PPV cost for the McGregor-Mayweather fight could be far higher than previous events.
Mayweather wants the price to be £100.
But Hearn doesn’t think that Sky would drastically increase its pricing point.
The price will be within the same realms as it always has. I don’t set the price, but my gut feeling is £19.95. If it went to £24.95… I can’t see it, it wouldn’t be my decision. Sky won’t want to go beyond £19.95. That is their price point.
Ortiz: Mayweather threw ’16 or 17′ illegal elbows in 2011 fight
Ortiz says Mayweather made many illegal shots on him during their 2011 fight. Mayweather controversially knocked out Ortiz as he was holding out his hands in apology for a headbutt against Mayweather. Ortiz says he resorted to the headbutt because Mayweather was continually striking him with illegal elbows.
You can’t elbow unless you are Mayweather. I think on both parts we both had a lot of mistakes taking place. He was hitting me with his elbows. I took a lot of them. I took I believe 16 or 17. I kept telling (referee) Cortez, ‘Hey Cortez, elbow, elbow.’ (He just said) ‘Keep fighting Ortiz, keep fighting Ortiz…(I was) trying but then it got to the point where I felt like I was seeing double out of one eye and I think that’s your retina when that is happening. The other eye was starting to swell, not from the punch. He (elbowed) and got away with it. I think what I did was wrong, I headbutted. I ended up paying ugly.
Frampton: Fight is not bad for boxing
Frampton says he is is excited about flying out from Northern Ireland to Las Vegas to watch the McGregor-Mayweather fight.
I think Conor’s brilliant. He’s a showman, he’s mental and he’s a maniac. I really like him and I’m going out to watch it with some of the others [fighters] from our gym, like Josh Taylor, Conrad Cummings and our wives. We’re going out for a mad weekend…I don’t think the fight is bad for boxing, it’s an event, and I’m looking forward to it. As a boxing match, it’s a mismatch but you have to give it to Conor McGregor. He’s making his boxing debut and he’s talked himself into a $100 million pay day. Good luck to him…I hate saying who’s going to win but it’s hard to look past Mayweather, he’s just too good.
Mayweather may ‘walk out’ with Diaz, but not Bieber
Jason Lee, from Mayweather’s entourage, says Mayweather may be walking out with Diaz at the upcoming fight. McGregor lost to Diaz in March of 2016, then beat him in UFC 202, in August 2016.
I was just in London with Floyd when the whole shit went down with Conor and I’m going to make the call to Nate Diaz. I would love to see him walk out with Floyd.
Mayweather has walked out to the ring a number of times with Justin Bieber, but Lee says he doesn’t think Bieber will be there this time.
Bieber found Jesus and he’s somewhere prayed-up. I don’t officially want to say that [Bieber will not walk out with Floyd]. But I just want to say I don’t see Bieber walking out with Floyd.
McGregor to Tyson: ‘I’m the new Don King’
McGregor responds to Tyson calling him a ‘dumbass,’ who is going to get knocked out by Mayweather, by referring to Tyson’s legal action against Don King. Tyson sued King for $100 million in stolen earnings, and received $14 million in an out-of-court settlement.
That's nice Mike, but you're looking at the new Don King here, son.
Money is mine.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 25, 2017
Conlan: McGregor’s self-belief gives him chance to win
Conlan says that McGregor’s self-belief can be a decisive factor in his upcoming fight against Mayweather.
He’s definitely got ability. He’s a guy who believes in himself 100 million percent. Floyd Mayweather has been impossible to beat. No matter who it is, no matter what sport it is, if someone believes in themselves that much, there’s always a possibility, always a chance. Anything can happen in boxing…That’s the kind of mentality I try to replicate.
