White looking at other fights for McGregor
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.
White: McGregor ‘obsessed’ with fighting Diaz
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.
Software caused engine failures
Yamaha engineers say that a software malfunction caused Lorenzo and Rossi’s engines to overrev and be destroyed. The team says that there were no changes made in the usual setup, and the entire blame lies with the spec software that didn’t behave as expected.
Valentino‘s failure was caused by an accidental over rev in acceleration that occurred jumping over a crest with full throttle at the end of the straight. This failure was not in any way related to the mistake made by Valentino at the San Donato corner on the lap before. There were no special mapping settings used for Mugello; we used the same precise mapping as always. We have now withdrawn both engines from the allocation for the season. We have learnt from this incident and already modified the rev limiter setting, so it will be OK in Catalunya. As a precautionary measure, the other engines used by both Valentino and Jorge in Mugello will be used only for practice sessions, until their life cycles are completed…We have already devised a countermeasure, so we are confident that the failures in Mugello will not recur.
Nelson: McGregor won’t fight Mayweather in September
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.
Catalunya GP: ‘I am able to be fast’
Rossi says he is ready for the Catalunya Grand Prix.
The race is held at one of my favourite tracks. I like the circuit a lot as well as the atmosphere. I think that I can have a good potential to do a good race. I’m coming to Spain with the knowledge that I’m able to be fast, but also with regret for what would have been a great race at Mugello. The most important thing is that we were very fast on Sunday thanks to the work we did during the weekend. In Barcelona we have to work in the same way and get ready to race.
ESPN interview
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
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’
Cruz: McGregor a ‘failure of his own success’
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
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
Roach: Mayweather says fight is going to happen
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.
Atlas: McGregor needs years of training to beat Mayweather
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.
Mouth Magazine interview
The band is interviewed by Mouth magazine, from their Manchester rehearsal rooms. They talk about the James tour:
We’ve been very warmly received by [James] fans and the band. The most we’d done on our own was 600, but the lowest for James was 2500 going up to 5000, and then 20,000 at the Arena. They couldn’t have made us feel any more welcome.
And new music:
Aaron: The intention is, for the Ritz gig that we’ll have a few tunes. We’re kicking around six or seven ideas that aren’t sort of fully formed yet. It’s usually me that holds it up. I wait for the last minute for the lyrics.
[soundcloud url=https://soundcloud.com/themouthmagazine/179-slow-readers-club width=”100%” height=”166″]
Tate to McGregor ‘Don’t get big headed’
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
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.
Taunts Mayweather on Instagram
McGregor taunts Mayweather on Instagram.
I smell like a brand new car, wearing brand new clothes. Why would I ever give a f*ck, about you gossiping hoes. #TheFaceOfRollsRoyce#50Rolls#MoneyMcGregorWhatsFloydGonnaDo? #TakeAllTheirNames#DoNothing@rollsroycecarsna#ThanksForTheCheese
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF0aAjDrzjD/
Diaz: McGregor-Mayweather talk cover up for an ‘ass whooping’
In an interview on MMA Hour, Diaz says the UFC is targeting the McGregor rematch for UFC 202. Diaz:
I’ll whoop both McGregor and Mayweather in the same night. Now they’re talking that Mayweather shit, it’s all a cover up. It’s all trying to hide the fact that he got his ass whooped and that they want to buy him more time to get better if we are going to fight. I think the Mayweather thing’s a publicity stunt…I’m the only one out of the three of us that will say I will whoop both of their asses in one night. Cause Conor can’t say that. Floyd definitely cannot say that. You want a real fight, put me with one of those boxers and I guarantee you I can beat them in boxing.
On fight negotiations with Dana White:
I said that was one of the biggest fights you’ve ever had on 10 days’ notice, and he’s the biggest draw that you’ve ever had and I just beat your biggest draw. So if you don’t mind, I would like to be compensated better than I was the last time or what they were trying to offer me.
Engine failure ‘very heavy’ title blow
Rossi says that the engine failure at the Italian GP has hurt his chances of winning the title.
This year I am faster, I am more competitive. In the practice every time I am stronger but unfortunately I made a mistake in Austin, but Lorenzo and Marquez also made mistakes. But unfortunately this one’s very heavy. It was from Misano 2007 that my bike [last] broke in the race. But it can happen. I think that there was something wrong with both engines between Lorenzo and me, but the bigger difference is that Lorenzo’s happened in the warm-up and mine happened in the race. It’s a great shame also for the championship because I take the zero and also Lorenzo and Marquez arrived first and second, so now the distance from the top is 37 points. It’s very bad, it’s quite a big gap but the beautiful thing, the good thing, the positive aspect is that I was fast, I was strong. I was very, very fast in the race.
Yamaha suspects over-revving
Yamaha say that the most likely cause for the Rossi and Lorenzo engine failures was the undulation on the main straight of the Italian circuit. At that point, the rear tyre – spinning at around 380 km/h in the air – loses grip, leading to an increase in revs per minute for the engine. Rossi’s engine failed after only 500km. Source:
That, combined with this year’s electronics, which are less sophisticated and precise, probably had an influence in the ignition cut-off…Valentino was running behind Jorge all the time, and that probably meant he had no clean air to cool down the engine.. Running in his slipstream meant Rossi’s bike reached speeds it had not managed during the weekend.
Yamaha investigating engine failure
Silvano Galbusera, Rossi’s crew chief says that Yamaha are still investigating the cause of Rossi’s engine blowout at the Italian GP. Rossi told Galbusera that the last engine that blew was at Misano in 2007. Galbusera also adds that engines that fail to such a degree are not a Yamaha tradition. He also says that Lorenzo’s engine, which blew out in qualifying, had significantly more kilometers than Rossi’s, and that swapping Rossi’s engine before the race and sending the Italian to the grid with a brand new lump would have been even riskier.
It’s bad luck. We removed engines with twice the number of kilometers…We are not are able to understand what happened yet. The engine will be fully analyzed.
Jeffries: McGregor can beat Mayweather
Jeffries says he was impressed by McGregor’s boxing ability.
He had really good boxing knowledge, amazing footwork, and he was very athletic and elusive. I thought his boxing was going to be amateur level, but he could beat a lot of professional fighters. Conor would beat some very high-talent professionals…I’ve totally changed my opinion. I thought about the [Mayweather] fight a lot. Conor, with how elusive he is and his style, he’s tough as well. What people don’t realise with Conor is that he’s got an iron jaw. Yes, he was rocked once by one of the best boxers in the UFC in Nate Diaz. He got caught with a solid right hand with a four-ounce glove. He got rocked, but who wouldn’t? I give him a shot [at beating Mayweather]. He’s fit, strong, has a tough chin, and one thing about Floyd is that he’s not a puncher, and they’re wearing bigger gloves. Floyd’s hardest fight was with Maidana. McGregor has a similar ‘rough’ sort of style. I don’t think it’s as one-sided as people think it is.
