Urijah Faber and interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor can’t keep their hands off each other.
The pair had their notorious backstage tickle fight prior to the weigh-ins at UFC 189 on July 10 and wouldn’t you know they’ve been at it again as coaches on the set of The Ultimate Fighter.
“That [first incident] was completely off the cuff,” Faber told The Underground. “I don’t even know what it was. I talked to Conor about it, too. I was like, ‘What was that?’ and he just said, ‘Eh, I don’t know.’ It started out kind of playing and turned out what it was.
“That happened again. It happened again a couple of days ago. They didn’t have any cameras on us, we’re giving each other crap and the next thing you know we’re testing each other a little bit. Then we’re like manhandling each other. It always ends with him getting pissed off.”
We don’t have video of the second altercation but Faber makes it sound a bit more serious than the first.
“He likes them until the end when he’s getting manhandled,” said Faber. “Then he doesn’t like it. The last one was kind of funny. His guy Tom [Egan] had to come in and be like, ‘Alight guys let’s break it up.’ I feel like it was all in good fun for the most part. We both like to fight. That’s what we do.”
McGregor TKO’d Faber’s Team Alpha Male teammate Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, setting the table for a showdown with featherweight champion Jose Aldo later this year.
“He felt OK when we’ve had interactions,” said Faber. “I think he’s definitely best at a distance with his structure. We saw that with Chad. He’s a tough guy.”
Faber obviously isn’t slated to face McGregor at the show’s conclusion, but thinks the fight will come together eventually.
“I think it’ll probably happen at some point,” said Faber. “Honestly, it’s pretty hard to get under my skin and he seems to be OK himself so we’ll see how it goes [during filming]. We’ve already started the banter back and forth. I think people will want to see that fight.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
‘It all depends on the deal he’s offered.’ Ex-manager says he’d like to see Fedor Emelianenko fight the best in the world in the UFC.
To the slammer. Nick Diaz reaches plea deal for reduced jail time on DUI cases.
Monday Morning Analyst. Luke Thomas breaks down the techniques from UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee, UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites and more.
‘If he wants another kick, punch, I’m in.’ Vitor Belfort says he’s interested in fighting Michael Bisping again.
Get paid. Frank Mir scores a $200,000 payday for his KO win over Todd Duffee.
Watch The MMA Hour with Vadim Finkelchtein, Demetrious Johnson, Johny Hendricks, Holly Holm, Stevie Ray, Robert Whiteford, Ricky Lundell and Tony McGregor.
MEDIA STEW
T.J. Dillashaw talks his rematch with Renan Barao and Conor McGregor’s antics.
McGregor does a Cribs-style tour of the MacMansion.
Robin Black breaks down Dillashaw vs. Barao 2.
Inside look at Nieky Holzken’s training ahead of GLORY 23.
Ronda Rousey explains her slam of Floyd Mayweather at the ESPY’s.
Don Alejandro joins the Mexican manhunt.
Long watches.
Knuckle Up #356: Sucker Aftermath, Mir, Bisping, Fedor, Couture + hate guides galore!
…
Submission Radio #58 Tito Ortiz, Vadim Finkelchtein, Michelle Waterson + UFC Glasgow
…
TWEETS
Pretty wild.
Very proud to be bringing this event home to San Jose. Bellator MMA #Dynamite2015, @SAPCenter on September 19th! pic.twitter.com/Zp0yF8SDyh
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) July 20, 2015
Beef.
@Cowboycerrone Anthony and Diaz beat your ass did you see what I did to them i’ll make sure to give you the worst beating @lorenzofertitta
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 21, 2015
@Cowboycerrone you’re probably drunk also that I’m a make you eat your words inside the cage @ufc
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 21, 2015
@danawhite cowboy started this but I promise you i’m going to give him worst beating then The beating I give him already
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 21, 2015
Good guy Dana.
@ProfitsForLife @NateDiaz209 @danawhite @lorenzofertitta I get paid very well
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 21, 2015
@RdosAnjosMMA @ProfitsForLife RDA, don’t argue with a goofy white dude throwing up the west side sign and he’s from fucking Toronto!! LMFAO
— Dana White (@danawhite) July 21, 2015
@danawhite @ProfitsForLife he just got blocked
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 21, 2015
@RdosAnjosMMA @ProfitsForLife beware of goofy white people who throw the WESTSIDE!! They are Way to dorky to argue with. #goofywhitepeople
— Dana White (@danawhite) July 21, 2015
I knew it.
@dc_mma @ChrisWeidmanUFC lol DC u write wrestling promos, I tell it like it is and predict the future.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) July 20, 2015
Get well soon.
Today marks 2 weeks on crutches & the day the doc said I can start swimming & riding a stationary bike #rehab pic.twitter.com/pjwh3KgHzT
— ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings (@RowdyBec) July 21, 2015
MRI
— Scott jorgensen (@Scottjorgensen) July 20, 2015
Matchmaking.
@JohnyHendricks vs me 4 Next & @IamTheImmortal vs @CarlosCondit for the shot after. Makes since right? @ufc @danawhite @arielhelwani #UFC
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) July 20, 2015
@IamTheImmortal is down& @CarlosCondit is always game! Just waiting on u @JohnyHendricks we have a while so why wait? http://t.co/xvwMW1hJzR
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) July 20, 2015
@SpiderAnderson vs Fedor would be a dream match I’d pay to see it
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) July 21, 2015
Nice.
They need to make room for one more. @paulfeig @dan_aykroyd and @melissamccarthy ?(=A?A=)? #AlphaCat #Ghostbusters pic.twitter.com/uHmXgddftq
— Alpha Cat Zingano (@CatZingano) July 21, 2015
Dang.
@fabriciowerdum em off? Nosso campeão se descuida da dieta e da uma engordadinha, sera muito… https://t.co/GcmSCS8SDH
— Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) July 20, 2015
@wandfc para werdum: adoro quando vc faz a #happyface !! Hahahaha @wandfc para werdum: TE QUIERO… https://t.co/7CBIDTuFfW
— Fabricio Werdum (@FabricioWerdum) July 20, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (July 20 2015)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Chris Wade at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via theTruthProphet
Chris Weidman Slips Up, Shows Hand, Tips Odds In Favor Of Luke Rockhold
Please, allow me to begin by an anecdotal story in order to set the stage. Nick Diaz, a 170 pound B-level fighter (if I may borrow a term from “the Notorious”) moves up in weight class to challenge “The Greatest MMA Fighter of All Time” in Anderson Silva, who routinely dominated fighters in light heavyweight division, and early on in his career fought as a heavyweight. Nick Diaz not only manages to make a mockery of the man and toy with him, but in the eyes of many defeat him. Now let’s think about what happened in that bout for a moment. I’m sure we all at least agree it was a close decision.
…
Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.