Relationship with Marquez improving
Rossi says his relationship with Marquez has improved.
I think that after what happened, all the rest becomes not very important. Very very small. I think it’s the right thing to do. Our relationship has improved since Montmelo.
Spends $300,000 on training
McGregor says he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on training for UFC 202. The camp is based out of a six-bedroom mansion that sits on a two-acre lot, and includes a masseuse, a performance coach, a movement coach, a nutritionist and sparring partners. Grappling partner Dillon Danis, from New York, was flown to Dublin, then Las Vegas. Irish middleweight boxer Conor Wallace was brought in to mimic Diaz’s striking style. The camp also includes a videographer.
With gyms, cars, transport, flights, accommodations — I’d estimate we’re talking a $300,000 camp here. This is a big, big expense — but what I make is big. So, in the bigger picture, it’s rather small…This is most certainly not another fight,” McGregor said. “I have done things differently this fight. We have been going to war every single day in the gym in preparation for this. So, this is a war to me. It’s nice to have this feeling that the man [Diaz] will show up. The man I’m set to face will be there. So, the preparation has been there… I’m happy [the loss against Diaz] happened, because it forced me to look at my preparation, look at the route I was going on. It forced me to reassess…Make no mistake, this one means a hell of a lot to me. This one means more than any amount of money or gold combined. I gave up a hell of a lot of money, gave up Hollywood opportunities, for this contest. I wanted to restrict the media. That should tell you how much this fight means to me. I’ve been preparing accordingly.
Spielberg Turn 8 ‘very dangerous’
Rossi says he is concerned about Turn 8 of the Austrian GP at Spielberg. Organisers took the decision to modify the final corner, Turn 10, by making the track narrower to reduce the risk of a serious accident by distancing the riders from the outside wall.
This track is very fast, and when a track is fast it’s always dangerous. Especially the exit of Turn 8 remains very dangerous. On a normal lap, you go through it quite easily, but it’s [taken at] very high speed and the wall is quite close. This for me is the most dangerous point that we have to try to improve in the next years.
Slaps McGregor’s photo
During a panel discussion Alvarez talks about wanting to fight McGRegor or Diaz in November. When taunted by the host holding a McGregor mask:
It’s hard to be intimidated by a guy who gets his suits at Build-a Bear…Hey, anywhere, Ireland, wherever he’d want to do it…He may not even win. My thought is he’s not going to win. [Me and Nate Diaz] almost got into a fight outside of the cage. I was fighting his teammate and he didn’t like it. I wouldn’t mind settling that score. Either one of those guys.
When the host asks,”Do you feel nothing towards this face?” Alvarez slaps the mask away.
Get this guy out of my face! He’s just a blank face to me.
Talks about first podium in Austria
Rossi talks about the Austrian GP track at Spielberg, where he had his first podium on the international finish, in 1997, as a 17-year-old.
It is a wonderful memory, my first podium was great and I could not have imagined what followed it. The track is similar to 20 years ago, when I raced with the 125, but the asphalt is new and has very good grip, it is very flat with no bounce. The track is so fast. I think it’s different to the other ones because you stay on the throttle for a lot of time, so maybe it will create a different kind of race.
On his challenges in the remaining season:
The gap of 59 points is hard to make back. In the last few races we have lost many points but we have to be strong and have the concentration to always get on the podium. The distance [to Marquez] is almost irretrievable. I will concentrate on these nine races and try to make more points than in the first half. We are starting an important moment of the season, because we have four races in five weeks and also five races in seven weeks. It’s good, because after Barcelona we had a long stop from one race to the other. That is not fantastic, and after the summer break I prefer it like this.
Reigns calls out McGregor
Reigns talks about McGregor’s recent comments about WWE wrestlers.
Well y’know for me it’s just a silly thing. We have nothing to do with him. My whole life, if he didn’t exist, it wouldn’t change anything with my world at all…The kid can fight, there’s no doubt about it, he’s a trained martial artist, but he runs his mouth a lot. And we come from a world now where everyone learns how to run their mouth before they can defend it. You can come up in my locker room if you want. Ain’t no tellin’ if you’re gonna leave.
Alvarez targeting McGregor or Diaz
Alvarez says he targeting either Diaz or McGregor for his next opponent at lightweight.
I’ve got my eye on Nate Diaz-Conor (McGregor). I would love to the fight the winner of that whole crew…I keep getting asked by all the media — you fight all the best guys in the world and at the end of the day the media asks ‘what about Conor McGregor?’ so I’m sick of being asked about his name.Him or Nate. I have some history with Nate, too. Either one of them.
Dos Anjos: I’d have killed McGregor in UFC 196
Dos Anjos responds to McGregor’s claim that he would be a two-weight world champion if the Brazilian had not pulled out of their March fight.
If I fought Rafael dos Anjos, if he didn’t p**** out of that last one and showed up, the shots I cracked Nate with in the first eight minutes would’ve KO’d Rafael dos Anjos stiff. That’s no question. I would be sitting here right now as a two-weight world champion.
@TheNotoriousMMA if You had fought me you wouldn't be 2 division champ,you would be dead.Look what a out of shape Diaz did to U #I'llbeback
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) August 8, 2016
Responds to McGregor
Roman Reigns tweets in response to McGregor’s statements about WWE.
Your the size of my leg. Shut up. https://t.co/fBVEdf8hE1
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) August 7, 2016
Responds to McGregor
Angle tweets in response to McGregor’s statements about WWE.
very funny little guy. Why don't you get your head out of Dana White's ass
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) August 7, 2016
Responds to McGregor
Sheamus tweets in response to McGregor’s statements about WWE.
Never show a Jack Russell a mirror. It thinks it's a majestic Irish Wolfhound. Really, just an annoying wee yapper trying to sell tickets.
— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) August 7, 2016
Responds to McGregror
Banks tweets in response to McGregor’s statements about WWE.
Bring it https://t.co/e9guQ9bi0f
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) August 7, 2016
Henry: McGregor should give up belt
Henry, Edgar’s coach, says McGregor who give up his featherweight belt.
You know Conor was holding up the belt, he had the belt you know. I think it’s baloney how he fought Nate in his second fight which he got knocked up on, striking and on the ground. Why a rematch for a guy holding the belt? Just give the belt up. We wanted the belt at the time, we could care less about Conor and what he thinks he is or the UFC and what they think of him. The only thing was that he held the belt, everything else, I could care less about that guy.
Clarifies WWE comments
McGregor clarifies his comments about WWE wrestlers.
I didn't mean no disrespect to the @wwe fans. What I meant to say was that I'd slap the head off your entire roster. And twice on Sunday's.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 7, 2016
Kavanagh: McGregor looking for dominance
In an interview on Fox Sports, Coach Kavanagh says McGregor is looking to make a statement.
I really feel it has to be a very dominant performance to make the type of statement that Conor wants to make. For me, round 1 was quite one sided. I’m pretty sure anybody would have scored that round for Conor. That’s the way I see it going this time. Even more in Conor’s favor, because there was some exchanges in that first round that he was still figuring out which way Nate moves. Whereas now it’s been a fairly obsessive couple of months where we feel we have a very strong game plan to counter everything he does. I expect it to be one sided, but how long as it lasts, it’s difficult to predict. But as long as it does last, I expect it to be one sided.
Says new tyres and ECU impact small
Rossi says the impact of MotoGP’s new-for-2016 tyres and control electronics on bike set-up has been smaller than he anticipated.
We tested three or four times with the Michelin tyres last year and this gave us a lot of worries because we were slow, we crashed, we didn’t have feeling with the front. Yamaha worked to develop a [new] bike that is quite different compared to the year before with the Bridgestone, with the different weight distribution and the [fuel] tank on the rear. But the Michelin tyres improved a lot, especially the front and at the end, essentially we are using a very similar set-up compared to Bridgestone, and this is good. With the electronics, we expected a big revolution, a big step back, but at the end it was a half-step back. The bike that I am using now is very similar to last year.
Says WWE fighters are ‘pussies’
In the conference call with Nate Diaz, McGregor is asked if he would consider cross-promotion between UFC and WWE
For the most part, those WWE guys are pussies. They’re messed up pussies, if you ask me. Fair play to Brock [Lesnar], he got in and fought but, at the end of the day, he’s juiced up to the f—— eyeballs. How can I respect that? The other guy [CM Punk] hasn’t fought yet, so I don’t know about him yet…I mean, there are some dons in that wrestling game. The McMahon’s? They’re dons. Triple H is a don, The Rock is a don, but the rest of them are f—— pussies. I happen to enjoy it, but that’s a little more show business. This is the fight business.
NUJ: Highfield ‘living in cloud cuckoo land’
The NUJ calls out Highfield over staffing levels, working practices, use of freelance cover, recruitment policy and the state of the industry. NUJ Organiser:
Sadly Ashley Highfield is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks the acquisition of the i is transformational. Taking on extra debt and flogging off other assets will not result in salvation for Johnston Press. Our members see the actual reality in the company’s newsrooms day in and day out. Content sharing between the i and other titles is a way of trying to mask low staffing levels in Johnston Press sites with all the consequent problems for quality journalism and stressed-out staff. The company now appears to actually be factoring in periods of ‘disruption’ during its transformational projects – such as the salesforce changes. Unfortunately, as those who have gone through the transformational ‘Newsroom of the Future’ editorial programme will testify, things are certainly no better on the other side. There must be questions in the minds of the board and shareholders about whether this is the right strategy for the company, though Ashley Highfield seems intent on pressing on despite all the warning lights flashing on the dashboard.
Gracie: McGregor would easily beat Khan in MMA
Gracie says McGregor would easily beat Khan in MMA, but would be beating in a boxing ring.
If it was a boxing match I’d put my money on Amir Khan. But a MMA match, it’s a totally different ball game. Because McGregor’s been training for a long time already, so he’s smart, he’s very good. He’s top right now. Amir Khan right now wouldn’t stand a chance against him, sorry. Not in a MMA match. But, having said that, anything can happen, there’s only one way to find out. There is a big difference, if you put the best MMA fighter in the boxing ring to fight a top boxer boxing rules it’s a totally different ball game. Or a karate fighter to fight tae kwon do rules or fight boxing rules. A boxer to fight tae kwon do rules, it’s totally different, man.
Kavanagh ‘always knew’ McGregor would world champion
Kavanagh says he knew McGregor was special, after seeing him train at SBG Ireland’s gym as an 18-year-old novice to mixed martial arts.
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 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.