Manager: McGregor will defend featherweight title after UFC 200
McGregor’s manager responds to comments that McGregor, who has yet to defend the featherweight title, will leave the division.
No, that would have already happened. That was something that Conor was adamant about. He’s going to keep his belt, he’s going to defend. At the end of the day, if he was going to vacate, he would have done it already.
Sister: Conor helps me conquer my fears
McGregor’s sister, Erin, says that her brother inspires her.
I wear my heart on my sleeve – what you see is what you get – pretty much like actually like my brother. He’s an ordinary fella who had a dream in his hand and went for it. All it takes is determination, passion and talent…He literally rolls with all adversities…he gives me inspiration to do things for me and to not listen to the negative thoughts coming into my head. He helps me to conquer my own fears.
Second set of tyres ‘did not feel good’
Rossi says the decision to change the bikes mid-race was not in his favor.
For me, personally, no. Because we can make all of the race without any problem. We can do 25 laps. But for safety reasons it is OK like this. In the first part I was a lot stronger, a lot more competitive. I thought that I could do a very good fight to try to win. It’s also a shame because, essentially, during the weekend with Yamaha, we never had problems with the tyres. So for the problem of another bike we needed to change everything when we don’t suffer. For some reason with the second bike, especially with the second set of tyres, I didn’t feel good. I had a lot more problems to have the same pace.
Claims McGregor ‘full of juice’
Aldo claims McGregor was using banned substances prior to his fight at March 5.
The fight was not at featherweight. Why would I rematch him in a different weight class with no belt? Now, to make this fight at 155, where he was full of juice in his body, where he hides and nobody tests him, only when he gets to Las Vegas, a week before the fight, and then it’s way easier for you to clean the body and fight. They offered the fight knowing that I wasn’t trained at all. I can’t say anything. I can train, beat Frankie Edgar and then know that I’ve earned my fight for the title again.
On trying to get a rematch:
We called and texted him every day (asking for the rematch) and nothing. There was no talk for a month…They already had in mind who to put against Conor. That’s the path they try to follow, and it’s kind of dirty to me. There’s no negotiation. We ask, and not always we get a response. When they respond is like that, and then they say they love us. It’s a bit weird. But what can I do?”
He thinks Diaz will win.
He’s used to this weight. It’s really hard to move up in weight and continue winning. It’s going to be different now that Nate will be more prepared. He can do his thing, anything he wants, from start to end.
Palhares: ‘I would kill Conor McGregor’
Appearing in the UK for the upcoming Polaris Pro 3 event, Palhares says he would consider a return to the UFC to take on McGregor.
I am happy to be here and even happier that all my British fans are supporting me whilst I’m here…I know I have an image as a bad boy in the ring but that is not the person that I am underneath. If people got to really know me they would see what I am really like. I have made some mistakes in the past and during fights but I am a good person…I would consider returning to the UFC just to fight McGregor. I would kill him. He is too small and weak in Jiu Jitsu to beat me. It would be a privilege to fight him but I would dominate with my ground game and submit him easily. When I play the fight In my head I see him giving in from a foot hold. He is too small to beat me. He shouldn’t be in my division but a fight is a fight.
Diaz sick of McGregor rematch praise
Diaz says he is annoyed by the praise UFC and others are giving McGregor for the rematch.
Completely irritated. I’ve lost decisions that I didn’t really lose and if I asked to get a rematch, it was out of the question like ‘Are you kidding me, don’t even ask.’ But this guy is getting praised for wanting a rematch. It’s like get the f–k out of here, this is the fight game. Whoever has lost a fight in the UFC and hasn’t wanted to fight that guy the next day shouldn’t be in the sport. All of a sudden he’s getting praised for losing and wanting a rematch? Get the f–k out of here, I’m sick of hearing it…Have you heard any praise out of Dana White or the UFC for me winning the fight at all? Nothing. At this point it’s not even about me and (McGregor). It’s me versus the whole f–king organization.
Also says that he brought the value of the purse up.
Do you think he would have made 1.5 million pay-per-views with Rafael dos Anjos? No, he would have made 700,000, maybe 900,000 but I got a following too.
Aldo: McGregor will be shamed
Aldo says he expected McGregor to return to featherweight and fight him, and surprised when the UFC offered him an interim title fight at UFC 200 against Frankie Edgar instead.
You know as an athlete obviously it’s good because I get to fight, but as a fan it sucks. There’s not much I can say but it really doesn’t have any logic behind it. To me it makes no sense really. Because everyone thought he was going to come back and defend his title and now he’s fighting Nate again. It’s a fight that doesn’t get anyone, anywhere. It doesn’t get Conor anywhere. It doesn’t get Nate anywhere. So it really makes no sense, I don’t know what’s going on…I don’t think there’s any way for [the outcome] to be different. We saw what happened last time. Maybe the only difference is that Nate is going to be even better prepared and Conor’s shame is going to be even greater…He needs to come back to featherweight. There’s no way he can just hold onto that belt for a long time.
Praises Slow Readers Club
In an interview with Gigs North East, Davis praises the Slow Readers Club, who will support James in their upcoming tour.
There are a newish band from Manchester called The Slow Readers Club. They are opening up for us in the majority of our shows in May. They’re really good. They’ve made an album called Cavalcade which I have to say I really, really think is a very good record. Anybody coming to see us play should listen to Cavalcade before they see us and catch Slow Readers Club because they are really good. I’m yet to see them live so I don’t know how that’s going to work but the record certainly is really good, full of exciting, interesting songs.
Comments on Qatar booing
After Lorenzo and Marquez were booed on the podium at Qatar, Marquez says he is prepared to encounter more negativity.
It’s something that, for example, in soccer I heard and I don’t like. So I don’t like it in MotoGP, also if it’s against me. But in the end it’s something that, I’m not stupid, I know that it will be usual. We must adapt and for me the most important thing, is it doesn’t matter the [supporter merchandise] colour of the fans – if it’s yellow, black, red – I think everybody enjoyed the race in Qatar.
Lorenzo says he is confused by the reaction:
We didn’t do anything wrong during the last months. We just concentrated on going very fast. I won the championship, Marc tried to do [his best] in 2015 and he is starting this season also like me – to try to be professional and to try to be the best on the track.We are risking our life in the process. So I don’t know what we did wrong, just be very fast and beat some riders.
Rossi:
Boo? I don’t know. I don’t know.
Edgar: McGregor won’t return to featherweight
Edgar says that, due to his non-response to his social media posts and interviews, McGregor is not going to return to featherweight.
He didn’t respond to anything. He’s so quick with his tongue and he didn’t respond to anything I was putting out there talking about the fight so I did feel that he was going to stay up and try to get that rematch with Nate.
However, he says he is happy about his match-up with Jose Aldo for interim featherweight:
I heard speculation that’s what they might want, but nothing concrete and then Dana called me yesterday and asked me. My reaction, I said yes. What the (expletive) am I going to do?…Let’s just call it the No. 1 contender belt cause that’s what it really is. But I’ll play the game. They did it for Conor, they gave him a belt and if I’ve got to play the whole Conor game to make sure I get this fight, I’m OK with it…The title is definitely what I want. If he never comes back down, I end up becoming champion, I’m a two weight class champion — something he’s trying to do. Maybe I’ll just have to chase him up to 170 to make that fight, to make that payday. Especially if I have the belt he never defended, why not? We can defend it at 155 or 170 if it makes him feel better, but honestly the focus needs to be on Aldo so I’m not too worried about Conor right now.
White: McGregor ‘obsessed’ with rematch
UFC president White says he talked to McGregor after his defeat by Diaz.
After the fight, Lorenzo (Fertitta) and I went up to Conor’s house that he was renting here in Las Vegas and started talking about what are you thinking, what’s next and he was obsessed — obsessed with fighting Nate Diaz again. Obviously, Lorenzo and I tried to argue with him and say ‘let’s go back down to 145 an defend your title’ or if you really want the Diaz fight that bad, do it at 155. He wants the fight at 170. Even his coach, coach (John) Kavanagh tried to get him off this rematch and off the 170 pound fight, but it’s what he wanted…[Nate said] ‘He wants to do it again, let’s do it again’. Nate was obviously up for the fight.
UFC 200: McGregor vs Diaz rematch announced
The rematch between McGregor and Diaz is set for July 9, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will take place at 170 pounds, 25 pounds above McGregor’s usual 145-pound fighting weight. Frankie Edgar will fight Jose Aldo for the interim featherweight title.
Silva wants to fight McGregor
Silva says he wants to fight McGregor:
That’s a challenge I would like to do. I’ve never asked to fight anybody, but I would like to test my martial arts skills against Conor McGregor. I would like that and a rematch with Nick Diaz and Michael Bisping. I think McGregor is a great striker, but he didn’t do very well in his last fight because he played into Nate Diaz’s game and that’s really hard. The Diaz brothers have a lot of gas. You have to respect him, the loss to Diaz doesn’t diminish his career at all. These are the fighters I would like to fight. McGregor, Diaz and Bisping because that fight did not end nicely.
Credits McGregor for UFC chance
Justino credits McGregor for being able to fight in a UFC weight classes, which had a maximum weight of 135. Justino fights at 145, but will drop to 1450 for her upcoming fight against Leslie Smith.
I think [Conor] McGregor opened the door for this. He’s fighting at different weights. He [sold] a lot of pay-per-views and it opened the opportunity. I think the UFC sees the great opportunity and it’s a great time…I’m really happy for the opportunity and I’ll do my best in Curitiba and of course I’ll try for the KO and I’ll do my best…I think it will open the door for me for more fights at 140. Maybe I can fight Miesha [Tate] at 140 and Holly Holm and maybe Ronda [Rousey] when she gets off the pillow.
‘Feels positive’ for Argentina
Marquez says he is positive for the Argentinian GP.
We come to Argentina in a positive mood after achieving a third-place finish in Qatar, a result that wasn’t really predictable before the start of the season. We worked very hard and very well with Honda and with the team over the weekend, and on race day I was able to push as hard as is currently possible. Of course we haven’t had a winter test here to count on and we’ll have to see if the setup we found in Qatar will also work here. That would be a good step forward for us, generally speaking, and we could even aim for a little bit better result on Sunday. Of course it will be a question mark until Friday but all in all, Argentina is a circuit that I like. We’ve always been fast here, so I feel positive for the weekend.
‘We will have to do better’
Rossi comments on the upcoming Argentina MotoGP.
I am very happy to go to Argentina. In this place I have many fans and it’s always nice to feel the affection and passion of these people. I have great memories here. Last year it was a great race. It will be difficult to repeat the same result but we will try. In Qatar I was not able to go on the podium but it was a good race anyway. We worked well throughout the weekend. In Argentina we will have to do the same thing, but we’ll have to do better in the race and try to get on the podium. I really like the Termas track and we will try our best!
Calls for better industry metrics
Speaking at a “fireside chat” Guardian Media Changing Summit 2016, Highfield calls for better industry metrics.
We’ve created two metrics – newspaper sales and unique users – and never the two shall meet. We need to create a new, single, de-duped, audience-led metric – a total readership-like number that ad agencies and advertisers will buy into.
Says BBC should pay for regional reporters
Highfield says the BBC should pay for regional papers’ journalists to cover courts and council meetings. Regional papers are seeking £14m a year from the BBC’s licence fee income to cover public service reporting. The proposed new deal would fund 364 public service journalists.
[The BBC] would be setting aside an amount to fund council reporting. But instead of the 100 journalists being employed by the BBC, and effectively being tanks on our lawns, the idea we are working through with them is that this could be an even bigger initiative with several hundred journalists. But they would be employed by us, and that is the difference, and commissioned to provide council and other quango reporting to the BBC.
Agostini: Lorenzo has ‘super’ Ducati offer
Agostini says that Lorenzo has an offer from Ducati:
I hope Lorenzo signs with Ducati. I say that as an Italian. I know for a fact that [Ducati owner] Audi has made him a super offer…I know how I would reason it out. Does the money they are offering make up for giving up on the best equipment, which is what Yamaha undoubtedly has? In that case, if Jorge thinks he can make a difference dressed in red, then he will do well in accepting the challenge. But I don’t think he’s fully convinced.
Claims McGregor is avoiding Edgar
Abdelaziz, Edgar’s Manager, says that McGregor is avoiding Edgar.
When history speaks for itself, Frankie Edgar will go down as the guy who fought anyone at any weight, any time, and anywhere. But when history speaks for @thenotoriousmma he was a ufc champion who hand picked his opponents and chose a guys out of shape to fight him and he ducked frankie. Every media member I talked to, a majority of the fans wants to see Edgar vs Mcgregor but Conor’s coaches since he lost to Nate Diaz for every interview they talk about everyone else except for frankie. At this point im blaming the @ufcfor not making this fight happen because I think it’s really up to them and they can make Conor fight frankie. Im done with this. It’s been a miserable last 4 months talking and negotiating getting this fight to happen but now I realize the only person who needs to step up and say he wants to fight frankie is Conor. But I don’t believe he wants to because he and everyone else knows that frankie would whoop his ass. I have 0 respect for a champion who ducks contenders and that’s that