Calls out McGregror
After his win against Frankie Edgar, Aldo immediately exchanges words with McGregor, who is sitting at the ringside.
Our new interim champ @JoseAldoJunior spent no time in calling out @TheNotoriousMMA at #UFC200 https://t.co/MXCIxD7Wc0
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 10, 2016
Alvarez wants ‘gimme’ fight with McGregor
Alvarez says he would like to fight McGregor in the future.
I would ask [UFC president] Dana White, ‘Please give me an easier fight, like Conor McGregor. I deserve that. I’ve been fighting the best guys, so I would like a gimme fight. So, Conor, I’d more than welcome that…Look, there’s a lot of guys in the UFC who are good at one thing, and they get matched up stylistically well. They make their way to the top without ever going against the true best guys in the division. They sneak their way around them, and they live off perception, not what really is. [McGregor] is one of them. I think he can get found out. If he was ever to fight Rafael Dos Anjos or to fight myself, he’d get found out very quickly.
Takes Master Camp riders to Misano
The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp riders spend the day on the nearby Misano circuit for some asphalt laps on Yamaha YZF-R3 bikes. The pupils ride against Rossi, the VR46 Academy Riders and other guests, before being given some clear track time for themselves in a timed practice session.
Again another great day together with the riders of the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp. This time we found ourselves at the Misano World Circuit, and these were three hours of very intensive training. Some of the VR46 Academy riders have followed the Asian riders on the track and at the end of the day I saw them riding really well. I too have crossed some of them on the track during training and I was impressed with how well they are picking up on our teachings. [Friday] is the last day of Master Camp. We will end this very exciting week in a really nice way: on track with minibikes!
Promises trilogy fight with Diaz
McGregor says that if he wins against Diaz, he will fight him a third time.
I’ll beat Nate, get that win back, dominate my division again, and then we’ll retalk for the trilogy fight with Nate. I believe this will be a trilogy fight.
https://www.facebook.com/UFCUnitedKingdom/videos/1053499451352671
Aldo: I’ll catch McGregor ‘in the street’ to get rematch
Aldo says he’ll do whatever it takes to get a rematch with McGregor. When asked if he would retire before a rematch with McGregor:
No way. Only if he stops fighting. As long as he’s in the UFC, this fight will happen. That’s a fact. We will get the belt back and be champion again…We’ll move up. The UFC will do this fight. It doesn’t matter at which weight. I don’t care…[Even if he walks away] We catch him in the street. No matter how, we will fight. [expletive] it.
Edgar: McGregor should be forced to defend featherweight title
Edgar says that McGregor should be forced to fight a featherweight to defend his title.
I think [McGregor] should have to defend it. He got to go do what he wanted to do and go up a weight class, or do whatever. It didn’t work out for him, and he should have to come back and defend it. But he calls the shots a little bit more than other guys, and I can’t hate him for wanting to get revenge and all that stuff. But of course it’s at my expense, so I’m looking at it a different way.
Hosting UFC 200 after-party
McGregor announces he is hosting a UFC 200 after party in Las Vegas on July 9.
Will train with McGregor in Las Vegas
Wallace will travel to Las Vegas after McGregor spoke to Ireland’s bantamweight world champion boxer Michael Conlan about sourcing a tall southpaw with a substantial reach to mimic Nate Diaz. Wallace:
I’ve watched a lot of videos of Nate. He’s a tall southpaw and he’s very dangerous with the right hand. I’ve been watching what he does and I’ll be trying to do exactly that to help Conor to prepare for the fight. He’s doing all the right things now that he didn’t do the last time — sparring southpaws and working on a lot of different stuff that he didn’t work on the last time. He knows Nate’s strengths and weaknesses now so I think you’re going to see a different result.
https://www.facebook.com/conor.wallace.92/posts/1237040033008102
Learned from 2015 mistakes
Marquez believes his consistency in 2016 — he is the only one of this year’s title hopefuls who has scored in every race — is a direct result of last year’s struggles.
It’s a conversation for a pub. We are not even halfway through the season and I don’t even have a one-race advantage over the guy in second – although it’s obviously important to have this gap, especially over Valentino…All human beings learn, and what better way to do it than from your own mistakes. I’m one of those people who can be told 20 times that there’s a wall in front of me, but until I hit it head-on, I don’t believe it’s there.
Lesnar manager: McGregor can’t switch to WWE
In an interview with ESPN, Lesnar’s manager, Hayman, says that McGregor cannot switch between UFC and WWE.
I would love for Conor McGregor to be a Paul Heyman guy…Conor McGregor could not walk between these two worlds or these two universes like Brock Lesnar. It’s just not a possibility. It’s what makes Brock Lesnar unique.
Rajoy rejects Sturgeon’s EU bid
Rajoy responds to Sturgeons meeting with EU officials by dismissing her hope that Scotland could join the EU after Brexit
I want to be very clear: Scotland does not have the competence to negotiate with the European Union. Spain opposes any negotiation by anyone other than the government of the United Kingdom,” he told a news conference following a summit of European leaders in Brussels.
“I am extremely against it, the treaties are extremely against it and I believe everyone is extremely against it. If the United Kingdom leaves … Scotland leaves,” he added. Madrid has a troubled relationship with the separatist inclinations of Catalonia.
Sturgeon said she was not surprised at the Spanish position, adding:
I have a duty as first minister to find a way to give effect to the democratic will of Scotland.
Comments on post-Brexit newspaper sales increase
Highfield comments on the increase in newspaper circulations in the week after the UK’s Brexit referendum.
i’s growth is evidence of the continued power of print. [The paper has] provided valuable, balanced context for readers making the most important decision of a generation because it had not endorsed either side in the vote.
UFC 202 Undercard announcements
UFC makes two announcements regarding UFC 200, which features McGregor-Diaz as the main event. In the welterweight class, Condit will return after a title loss to face Maia in a 170-pound fight. Johnson and Teixeira will fight in the light heavyweight class,
Kavanagh: McGregor ready for Diaz, not motivated by money
Kavanagh says McGregor is better prepared to fight Diaz than previously, with training taking place every lunchtime in his gym SBG Concorde before specialist cardio training in the evening. Specialist fighters from Finland, New York and Britain had been brought in to prepare McGregor to counter Diaz’s fighting style.
Nothing will feel new on the night. He will have experienced all positions and everything that comes with fighting someone of that build and style…If it was about money, he would quit doing this now and do one of the ten film roles he has been offered. If his motivation was his bank balance, it would be ridiculous to keep doing this, as his training is so hard. I wouldn’t bother training somebody whose number one motivation was money.
Kavanagh: McGregor will only fight Mayweather for 50%
Kavanagh says that the rumoured $100 million fight between McGregor and Mayweather would happen, but only if revenues were split evenly between both men.
There was talk that Conor would get $7 million and Floyd would get the rest of it. It will be an even share or Conor will not do it . . . There is no one generating the type of media that Conor i. It would have to be an even split. Conor is not going to take it if Floyd is getting more than him. Floyd needs Conor more than Conor needs Floyd right now.
Kavanagh said he believed that McGregor could beat Mayweather, despite the boxer having a record of 49 wins and no defeats.
Floyd is amazing. He is incredible. I don’t think there is a boxer who could beat him. He has figured out boxing, but Conor doesn’t move like a boxer.
Could ask for stake in $4bn UFC sale
Kavanagh says he expects McGregor to ask for an equity stake in UFC if it is sold. Kavanagh said “it is true” that the UFC was for sale, but he does not know the details.
Conor will have thought of this and I am sure, when he is sitting down with his new overlords, he will have that conversation…What will happen when it is sold, if it is sold? Short answer is, I don’t know what will happen the daily operations of it . . . it is a truly global company now. Like any big takeover, there will be a period of finding your feet again.
Aldo wants McGregor fight after UFC 200
Aldo says he will follow McGregor to the lightweight division.
Not only would I like it, we are going after it. We need to make it happen. The first fight wasn’t as expected. Hopefully, we will win that belt – that needs to be my goal now – but after I reclaim it, I think about that. Not only me, but I think the UFC will do it. There’s nowhere to run.
Jeffries: McGregor-Mayweather will happen
Jeffries says that McGregor-Mayweather will happen.
I think it’s a possibility it could happen. People are saying it’s a circus and all that but I think it could happen. And why not? The biggest pay-per-view star of all time in boxing against the biggest pay-per-view star of all time in MMA. I would like to see it. With it being two different sports it might be (difficult). But I would really like to see that fight. I really would.
Dos Anjos: McGregor can’t beat Diaz
In an interview with TMZ, Dos Anjos says McGregor cannot beat Diaz.
It’s hard to advise him, because Nate Diaz was on vacation when he got a call to fight him. And on less than 10 days’ notice he still beat him — now he’s got a full fight camp. [Conor can win] if he can catch him with the right shot, but Nate can take a lot of shots, especially at 170 pounds. Nate Diaz is a 55er, he’s a lightweight. But now he’s fighting at 170 — I don’t know why. But I don’t see Conor winning this fight, for sure.
Feels more competitive than in 2015
Rossi says he feels more competitive than in 2015.
The important thing is to be strong and fast on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. This is what I’ve been thinking all my career. Last year I fought for the championship to the last race but sometimes in the race I wasn’t fast like Lorenzo and Marquez. This year it looks like I’m stronger even if it looks like I have less points. It’s a good moment, I like my bike, the Yamaha is very competitive, I like a lot the Michelin tyre because it’s something I used a lot growing up, so it’s something very familiar. I think we are there at the same level, very fast like Marquez and Lorenzo, but at the same time also [Dani] Pedrosa, [Maverick] Vinales and [Andrea] Iannone are very strong…But there is still 11 races to go, so the important thing is to work and try the maximum.