Helwani: McGregor planned to meet Mayweather in Vegas
Helwani confirms that McGregor’s plan was to go to Vegas to meet with the Nevada Athletic Commission, then The Money Team (Mayweather’s promotion), and then with the UFC.
McGregor's plan has been: meet with NAC to clear issue, then TMT, then UFC. That's what's going on now. Early stages of that plan.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 14, 2017
He laid out this exact plan when we spoke in Manchester. Go to Vegas to meet. Felt best to go in person. So now here we are. https://t.co/Lq0UdifMHd
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 14, 2017
Smith: Mayweather ‘close’ to McGregor fight
ESPN’s Smith says that Mayweather told him that “we’re getting very, very close” to a fight with McGregor. Smith said Mayweather believes the fight will happen, but Mayweather said nothing is guaranteed until a deal is done. Smith:
[I see this fight happening]. Floyd was at the OKC Warriors game Saturday night. We spoke for a few minutes. It’s not finalized. There are details to be worked out. He did not confirm that a deal had been done. But as you know I know Floyd for years and he had a smile on his face, and he says ‘We’re getting there. We’re getting very, very close’. He believes he has the potential to make even more money than he made fighting Pacquiao…He believes that McGregor can market himself.
Jedward: ‘We’re like Conor McGregor’
The Irish twins say that following their time in the Celebrity Big Brother House they can really feel the love from Ireland – despite the Irish public not being allowed to vote for them during the show.
We’re like Conor McGregor, we are representing the country and everyone is like come on Jedward. We want to inspire other people. To see what we’ve been through and the whole rollercoaster of what it is and that we are still going and we are still striving for more.
Calls out McGregor and Mayweather
Ibrahimovic, currently playing for Manchester United, says he’s had enough of McGregor and Mayweather.
I’m sick of the drama between Mayweather and McGregor. It would be better for both of them to stop their antics and fight against me. Let’s see how it goes, but the two will go straight to the hospital!
White: Woodley’s ‘drama queen’ antics hold him back
White says that rather than racism,Woodley is his own enemy.
The thing is with Tyron, first of all; he’s a smart guy. He’s a good looking kid. He’s explosive. He’s got knockout power; but he’s a bit of a drama queen. … When a fight is made — and Conor McGregor is a perfect example — Conor McGregor has that fight anybody, anywhere attitude, but doesn’t just have the attitude, he lives it. I’ve stood in front of him [with] ten days notice and he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. If Tyron Woodley had that attitude, Tyron Woodley would be a massive star. Massive star. But he does these things where he literally [go] on Instagram when he knows who he’s fighting next and say ‘I’m not fighting him, I don’t wanna fight him, I think I wanna fight this guy or that guy’. And that’s not what people want to hear…“People don’t want to hear that, and then what he does then, is he’ll start fighting an arguing with people on social media. Then he wonders why when he shows up at a press conference the whole crowds booing him. They’re not booing him because he’s black, there’s tonnes of black guys fighting in the UFC.
Masvidal: I’d take McGregor’s head and leave his arms for Mayweather
Fresh off beating Cowboy Cerrone, Masvidal tells a fan that he is ready to take on McGregor.
I'd take his head and leave his arms to "box" @FloydMayweather https://t.co/BrMlr1vM5N
— BMF.eth (@GamebredFighter) February 10, 2017
Nurmagomedov: ‘I don’t give a shit about McGregor’
At a Q&A session at the National Restaurant in New York City. Nurmagomedov talks about his potential opponents, including McGregor.
I don’t give a shit about Conor. I think only about the belt…“Let’s go. Make not only him humble but all of Ireland.
https://www.facebook.com/mmafighting/videos/10155104626109479/
Mayweather Snr.: ‘I would whoop McGregor, and I’m 63’
Mayweather Snr. responds to the video of McGregor sparring in boxing gloves.
In would love to see [a match against my son], ‘cos I know Conor get knocked out…Who is he? His boxing skills is nothing. I’d beat his ass myself… I’m not impressed at all. If my son decided that he didn’t want to do it I’d take it over and I’d do it. And I’d beat his ass. He can’t whoop me with that there, and I’m a 63-year-old man…Conor’s a bum!
https://twitter.com/ufcrelated/status/829634971342163969
Sonnen warns McGregor of UFC’s power
In his most recent podcast, Sonnen talks about the ongoing rift between the UFC and McGregor, noting the UFC’s power to make stars.
When Randy Couture retired and Tito Ortiz got into his pissing match and stepped aside, they were left with absolutely no stars and they created one overnight called Andrei Arlovski…His skills were not great but he had the look and he had the marketing machine behind him and the next thing you knew, not only was he ranked #1, but he was also selling out arenas. The point I’m trying to make, and Conor may not know this story, they created something out of nothing overnight, it literally took them just over a week to do it…Tito was soon forgotten. Tito – who was the biggest star at the time – could not get an appearance at the local country fair and the same thing can happen with Conor. And you think that it can’t, but it can, and it can happen overnight. If he wants to puff and if he puffs a little too hard. If in the office he becomes too hard to deal with and they can’t get something done. It’s going to be game over, and it’s going to be game over in record time. And that’s what he doesn’t understand. He thinks he’s going to come on shows like this [podcasts] or go on Sports Centre and tell his side, he will not. When we all get the email that says ‘he’s out and this is who’s in’, that’s who we are then going to talk to…It’s like, ‘hey man, as good as you think you are, not only is there a guy who can beat you, we know who the guy is and we will put his name opposite your’s once you force us to and we will show you, time and time again, who is in control here and who really set this table.
Calls McGregor ‘fake as f-ck’
Ferguson continues his attacks on McGregor:
He wants to call himself the ghost but he’s gonna fade like a ghost cause he’s a buster. That dude’s fake as f-ck. He’s trying to quit, he’s trying to look for excuses on his way out. He don’t wanna be in a man’s division. Go play somewhere else, McNugget. We’re real fighters over here. You ain’t no ghost…I’m that dude that won’t back down. Mayweather’s gonna knock his ass out. Mayweather’s too much for him – and he knows that shit too.
Rogan: 70-80% chance of McGregor-Mayweather fight
Rogan says that there is a strong chance of a McGregor-Mayweather fight happening.
Well I would say, if you looked at it in terms of a zero percent chance to a hundred percent chance, I think we’re in the 70’s. I think we’re in the 70’s or 80’s. I think there’s a significant legal hurdle to overcome with the UFC and they might not overcome that depending how they play that card. Now, McGregor has publicly stated that he believes, because of the Ali Act, he can compete in boxing and not do it with the UFC but, he wants everything to be smooth so he would rather have the UFC involved. But, he also wants the UFC to recognise, what he says, is ‘their place’. So there’s Mayweather Promotions, McGregor Promotions and the UFC. So this is what he is stating now, he is going to be a partner in the promotion. And so, there’s going to be some sort of negotiation for how things are split up in three ways.
Silva: McGregor is the best technical striker in UFC
Speaking at the UFC 208 media day, Silva says McGregor’s striking is unmatched:
This is a personal challenge for my life, because Conor in my opinion has the best stand-up technique in the UFC. For me, I think it’s a good challenge for my technique and for my martial arts technique and stand up. I think this is the great fight in my mind, but I don’t know. One day, maybe…Conor is the best now. I think Conor broke the records, broke everything, and [the Floyd fight] is a new challenge for Conor. [But] it’s a different sport. This is no simple guy. Mayweather is no simple guy, is no MMA guy. This is different sport. I train box[ing] for long time in my life. And when I go to sparring with the professional guys it’s so different. the timing is different, the movement is different. the people need to respect both sports, but boxing is different.
Talks about 90-day rehab
Gomez speaks at a Netflix press event about her 90-day stint in rehab. She also draws parallels between the series she’s working on and her life.
I think that my high school experience may have been a little amplified, so I wouldn’t say it was worse, but it definitely made it harder. To be frank with you, I actually was going through a really difficult time when they started production…I went away for 90 days, and I actually met tons of kids in this place that we’re talking about the issues that these characters [in the series 13 Reasons Why] are experiencing. I would say yes, I have to deal with it on a different scale, whether it was just kids or growing up in the biggest high school of the world, which was Disney Channel. It was also adults that had the audacity to tell me how to live my life. It was very confusing for me, it was so confusing. I had no idea who I was going to be…It’s hard right now. I can’t stand social media, I can’t stand what they’re looking at. I can’t stand what they think is reality, and the show is real as it could possibly get…I want them to understand it. I would do anything to be able to have a good influence on this generation, but I definitely relate to everything that was going on [in the show]. I was there for the last episode, and I was a mess just seeing it all come to life because I’ve experienced that.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQRMKi4gkBn/
Grammys announce Prince, George Michael tribute
The Recording Academy announces that the 59th annual Grammy Awards will pay homage to Prince and George Michael, who both died in 2016.
While the primary focus of the Grammy Awards is to celebrate and honor the year’s best in music, we consider it our responsibility to tell music’s broader story by honoring its legends lost—that’s what we strive to achieve with our annual tributes. While it’s nearly impossible to convey the full depth of an artist’s cultural impact in a single performance, it’s that very challenge that has led us to some of our most memorable Grammy moments.
Cormier will only fight on a McGregor card
Cormier says that, if he beats Anthony Johnston in April’s UFC 210, and faces Jon Jones, who is currently on suspension, that despite traditionally headlining, he and Jones will only fight if a McGregor fight is the top of the card.
Jon and I will not fight in a co-main event to anyone other than Conor McGregor.
Ferguson calls McGregor ‘paper champ’
Ferguson responds to a tweet posted by McGregor regarding McGregor’s fight with Alvarez:
Paper Champ Who Thought U Could Walk Away From MMA #MoneyMadeYouSoftMcnuggets I Bet You Fade Like A Ghost. #Buster #ElCucuy pic.twitter.com/v0kG8ukS15
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) February 6, 2017
Black responds to McGregor’s Predator comments
Black, Predator’s director, says that, while he thinks McGregor is a “great guy”, he wasn’t actually offered the lead in the film.
CONOR McGREGOR: great guy, nice as can be — NOT, however, offered the male lead. Boyd Holbrook holds that distinction. Just sayin'.
— Shane Black (@BonafideBlack) January 30, 2017
Kavanagh: I always knew McGregor would become world champion
Kavanagh says he knew from the first fight that McGregor would become UFC world champion.
It was very obvious from early on that Conor had this unusual set of skills contained in the one person. It’s tempting to talk about Muhammad Ali when you talk about Conor just from the showman side of things. There is a certain set of skills, as Liam Neeson might say, that are required to become the no.1 in this world. And certainly being very good at the sport is a huge part of it. But to have the x-factor, to be able to have charisma, to be able to speak on the mic and be able to deal with the heavy media attention, that’s something that I don’t think you can be taught. That’s something that’s in somebody or it’s not. I’ve seen it before with guys who are incredible in the gym but the can’t do it on fight night or they can’t handle the pressures of dealing with a bunch of interviews and so on and so forth
Holm doesn’t think she ‘broke’ Rousey
Holm is asked about her win’s effect on Rousey:
I’m one of those that, I’m a firm believer in the fact that once a fighter, always a fighter. She might not ever want to fight again. She might not fight for two years, and then she might say, ‘You know what? I’m really egging for it. I want to get back in there, I really want to fight. I’ve had enough of this regular life business.’ You know? Here’s what I think about [her being broken] and a lot of people have asked me about that ever since she had that fight with Nunes. Coming off of a knockout, [whether it’s] Ronda or anybody else — I’m not saying it’s just her, it’s just fighters — you come off of a knockout it is very, very hard mentally and emotionally. You second-guess yourself. I remember when I got knocked out, every time I would spar for the first two weeks, every time I would get hit, I would be like, am I OK? Yeah, I think I’m OK. Am I OK? Yeah, I think I’m okay. You really second guess yourself a lot.
Hyland to Sherwood: You are my rock
Hyland sends a birthday message to Sherwood.
The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. Happy Birthday @domsherwood. Thank you for inspiring me on a daily basis to be a better person. To not take things too seriously. And to remember the little things. You’re my rock.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQK33UoD7G9/