Calls McGregor-Diaz fight ‘a sparring match’
In a post fight interview after his 95-second win over Dustin Poirier, Johnston calls out McGregor and Diaz:
I’m just coming in here just showing people that I’m serious in this division. Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz getting paid that money and they’re out here scrapping and having a sparring match. I come to finish fights. I come for the kill. Pay me, baby, what’s up?
Schaub: Diaz took knockdowns to dupe McGregor
According to Schaub, Diaz claims that his three knockdowns when fighting McGregor in UFC 202 were premeditated, tactical tumbles.
I saw Nate at the grocery store, randomly, and he was saying that he was falling on purpose to dupe Conor. He goes ‘I knew the first three rounds were going to be tough – he is so fast – so when he hit me, the plan was to fall down and get him to follow me down. I couldn’t take him down, so the plan was to get him to follow me down there.’ That’s a very risky gameplan. But that’s from the horse’s mouth.
Says McGregor fight off
Mayweather says that a rumored fight with McGregor is off the table.
I tried to make the fight happen between me and Conor McGregor…we wasn’t able to make the fight happen, so we must move on…now you got so many other fighters that’s in boxing that want to fight Conor McGregor…but I was the first, once again…I feel honored to be the biggest name in MMA and in boxing and I don’t even compete no more.
Hints at McGregor-Alvarez fight
When asked if McGregor will fight Alvarez, Rogan appears to confirm.
I know a little something that I wish I could tell. It’s an interesting fight. If it happens…allegedly…at Madison Square Garden…allegedly…in a couple of months. Maybe it’s going to happen, I don’t know.
McGregor-Alvarez title fight nearly finalized
According to @TalkMMA, the UFC is close to finalizing a McGregor-Alvarez fight for the 155-pound title at UFC 205 event in New York in November. The main issue in negotiations does not surround money, but McGregor’s desire to hold on to his UFC featherweight title.
Letting go of the belt. Conor wants to be the first to hold 2 belts simultaneously https://t.co/8xbhmwh1Qy
— #Dizz (@TalkMMA) September 15, 2016
McGregor has ‘the hardest hands I’ve ever felt’
Poirier says that being beat by McGregor in UFC 178 taught him a valuable lesson that has contributed to his run of success.
I’ve always been an emotional fighter and that emotion fueled a lot of my early performances. I would get angry because I’m about to step in there and go toe-to-toe with someone who is trying to hurt me just like I intend to hurt them, and that energy shifts gears into that kill or be killed mindset. I remember I was backstage getting ready to walk out and I saw him and he threw this smile and pointed at me. I don’t know why but it really got to me, man. It really messed with my head. I mean I’m about to go out and fight this dude and he’s back there smiling at me? After that fight I knew I had to find a different way to use my emotion.
He also talks about McGregor’s punching power:
He hit me with a good shot and then I tried to circle, I planted my feet and he hit me with another good shot and I went down. I have 33 fights and…unless it was just the spot, but the track record speaks for itself – he’s the champ right now. But I think his are the hardest hands I have ever felt.
Prays every night for McGregor rematch
Aldo says he prays every night for a chance at a McGregor rematch, but will settle for a fight with Pettis.
Every night I ask god ‘Please give me another chance. Let me get into the octagon against him. I know it will be different this time’…[However] If [a fight with McGregor] doesn’t end up happening, I do rather a fight against [Anthony] Pettis. I think nowadays…I learned a few things with [the UFC]. There’s more than just the ranking, like there is a ranking order for title-shots. No. I have to tend to the business side too. I think a fight against Pettis will sell a lot more than one against Holloway.
The pair were supposed to meet for Aldo’s featherweight crown at UFC 163 in August of 2013, but Pettis withdrew with a knee injury.
Trolls McGregor
Orton talks about CM Punk’s performance, while trolling McGregor, who he refers to as “Conor McDonald”.
I like making $. Over and over. Not once every 6 months….plus I'd prob fake punch the guy and get choked out. #lol https://t.co/xLXt01bzyf
— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) September 13, 2016
Unless it was the Irish guy little person Connor Mcdonald
— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) September 13, 2016
https://twitter.com/StillDave/status/775602441152712704
— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) September 13, 2016
Meets nephew for first time
McGregor posts a picture of his first meeting with his nephew, Harry.
Got to finally meet my little nephew Harry today! Long days on the road are tough but coming home to family after it makes it all worthwhile.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKSZEBnBjA4/
White: No more McGregor welterweight fights
When asked whether a third fight between McGregor and Nate Diaz was likely to happen, White says:
I made that fight twice. That’s it. It’s time to move on because (McGregor) has the 145-pound title. At the end of the day, he’s a 145-pound fighter. He could go to (lightweight), but going back up to 170 makes absolutely no sense, and it clogs up the entire division, which isn’t fair to the rest of the crew.
Still interested in fighting McGregor
Khan says he would still like to fight McGregor.
I don’t really know about moving to MMA. I mean, if the fight comes up I would consider it as Conor is an unbelievable fighter. I’d love to test him in the boxing ring first as MMA will take a long time to get used to. Just the thought of getting the boxing world and MMA world together makes we want to do it even more as it will be massive!
However, Khan is currently recovering from a hand injury and reportedly won’t fight again until next year.
CM Punk ‘isn’t a pussy’
McGregor says he respects CM Punk, despite his loss in UFC 203 to Mickey Gall.
Fair play to him, ‘cos he got in there and fought. And not a lot of people do. Not a lot of people have the balls to make that walk. He got his ass whooped. God bless. He got his ass whooped. Those WWE guy’s are pussies, I told yous all, but he isn’t. He got in and fought. So fair play to him. Respect.
UFC wants McGregor-Alvarez for 205
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani says McGregor versus Alvarez, for the lightweight belt, is the “top choice” of UFC management.
Main event for UFC 205 still not set. One big domino needs to fall and then they can move along, but it hasn't just yet. Interesting times.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 9, 2016
I would classify that as the top "choice" but very far from a done deal. Lots of moving parts at the moment. https://t.co/UZxePQDjIM
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 9, 2016
McGregor ‘no match for Floyd’ in boxing
Pacquiao says that McGregor cannot beat Mayweather in boxing.
McGregor is no match for Floyd because Floyd knows boxing. But if Floyd fight is McGregor’s sport it will go to McGregor.
Hey @FloydMayweather, if it's boxing @mannypacquiao is taking you. But in the Octagon he has @TheNotoriousMMA! pic.twitter.com/8p1cJ284Ti
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 8, 2016
‘McGregor punches like a girl’
When asked again about a potential McGregor-Mayweather matchup, Roach says that MMA and boxing do not mix, and criticizes McGregor’s boxing style.
He punches like a girl….that’s why he couldn’t hurt the other guy…well, he did knock him down three times. Diaz is usually a bit tougher than that…[I think the] Irish boy won that fight, but a lot of people tell me he lost.
Next fight to be decided ‘within days’
Coach Kavanagh says that McGregor will decide on his next fight when he returns to Ireland in the next few days. On the potential of a fight with Alvarez:
It’s a great fight…It’s a pretty straightforward fight for Conor to be honest. Will he get it? I can tell you that we’re in talks. It will be decided whether they are going to go with that fight within days…If the next fight is for the lightweight strap, they will take the featherweight belt off Conor. I think that’s a given. I guess, the little bit of consolation Conor will take from that is that it will be two guys he has beaten fighting for the vacant featherweight title…It will probably be (Max) Holloway and (Jose) Aldo. He beat one in 13 seconds and one on one leg. It’s hard to say that on paper he isn’t the champion when he’s beaten the two guys who are fighting for his belt. He’ll probably do the same to the lightweight division.
‘I used to struggle to sell McGregor tickets’
At the BAMMA 26 press conference in Dublin, Kavanagh says that he used to struggle to sell ticket for McGregor fights.
You know sometimes I laugh because I used to run small amateur shows, well they were pro fights back then but they really were amateur shows, and I remember I had a show with Gunnar Nelson, Conor McGregor, Aisling Daly and Paddy Holohan and it was a tenner for a ticket and I struggled selling them. I’d probably sell them out now pretty handy, but what I’d say to fans now is [BAMMA 26] is your chance to look at future stars [in Irish MMA]. For me BAMMA is more or less the top show in Europe, and you don’t have to be bowing down to the UFC, because as far as I’m concerned, these fighters have skill levels that are as good as anyone, regardless if they fight in the UFC or BAMMA.
Aldo: McGregor ‘a normal, quiet guy’
Aldo says that, during the promo tour for UFC 189, he got to see a different side of McGregor, contradicting his many complaints about McGregor’s conduct in the past.
[The relationship] is friendly, quiet. For me, I see no problem with him doing his marketing, and seeing the financial side, it was very good. If I had more fights with him in the featherweight division, it would be very profitable, but I am not his friend, he can go one way and I go to the other. I’ve seen him stand facing the wall, staring at nothing and everyone trying to provoke him, and he has a glazed look. He’s a normal, quiet guy, but if you see a camera or an Irish person close, he turns. Outside you see him laughing, joking, talking usual — but then he turns in such a way that you think: ‘son of a bitch’…Sometimes you play jokes and he is laughing. There was one day we sat and he said to get coffee, and I said I wanted sugar, and he answered like: ‘good’. I met him recently at a hotel, he was eating breakfast and I said I wanted barbecue, he said it was his breakfast, of course. But most of the time we met, there was always someone [with a camera] shooting, so he had to keep it up. But with no camera, the face changes completely.
‘I’m gonna blow up Call of Duty’
McGregor is interviewed about Call of Duty.
We’re gonna break the record this year with Call of Duty…Of course I’m a fan..I’m in the new game!
‘A lot of feelings were hurt’ by McGregor’s insults
On a UFC 203 media conference call CM Punk says that, while he doesn’t care what McGregor said, it hurt other WWE wrestler’s feelings.
A lot of feelings were hurt, though, I can tell you that much, which I thought was a little strange. You’ve gotta leave the emotion out of it. These guys still don’t know…It’s a hard thing to comment on, because the amount of people who responded to him made me feel like they were told to respond to him. [McGregor is] the biggest name in sports at the moment. There’s always grey areas when you involve that whole scene and you’re wondering, is this a work, is this not a work?