Say this for UFC star Nick Diaz—the man knows how to put on a show.
Spitting, taunting and at one point even laying down on the mat, Diaz made a mockery of Anderson Silva, the greatest middleweight to ever live. Perhaps he lost every stanza…
Say this for UFC star Nick Diaz—the man knows how to put on a show.
Spitting, taunting and at one point even laying down on the mat, Diaz made a mockery of Anderson Silva, the greatest middleweight to ever live. Perhaps he lost every stanza, though fight stats show several of the rounds were frighteningly close. But he lost his way, ending the fight with his head held high.
In Diaz world, that’s just as good as a win. He was the one coming forward, even as the final bell approached. Silva, as is his wont, was unsure and unwilling to engage on anything but his own terms. A counterpuncher, he refuses to come forward as anything but a last resort.
In the past, that’s led to some excruciatingly boring contests. His fight with Demian Maia was so awful, in fact, that UFC President Dana Whitestormed out of the arena before the conclusion, later apologizing to fans for the travesty.
But Nick Diaz doesn’t do boring.
“I kind of lose my s–t in there when people do that,” Diaz said at the post-fight press conference. “You probably noticed that…the more he punched the more he was going to end up with the s–t end of the stick.”
Silva may have had his hand raised at the end of UFC 183. And he deserved to. But there was no doubt we were watching a Diaz fight.
Most incredibly? He was doing it at half-speed.
Many longtime observers noted Diaz wasn’t nearly as aggressive as he usually is, fighting only in spurts instead of coming forward in a wave of punches, his sneer presaging a savage attack unlike any other in MMA history. After the fight, he revealed why.
“I had a little injury before the fight with my left arm,” Diaz said at the post-fight press conference. “I had to get a cortisone shot. And I stopped throwing punches about two weeks before the fight…I wasn’t in gear to throw punches, and I knew I was in big trouble.”
What’s next for Diaz, as always, remains unclear. He took almost two years off, in the prime of his career, after his last fight, a loss to then-welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
“Who knows what Nick’s going to do,” White said after the fight on the live press conference. “Nick made a lot of money tonight. You might not see him for three years this time.”
It’s also unclear exactly what to do with a fighter like Diaz. He’s an attraction, clearly. But he’s also lost three fights in a row.
“I’m kind of tired of being a loser,” Diaz admitted after the fight. “I’m doing well, though, as far as this being a job versus the other guys that are out here. I put on a show for these fans. I don’t know what to make of it right now.”
It would be hard to justify putting Diaz in with any of the promotion’s champions. It’s equally hard, however, to imagine him in the cage with one of the sport’s many competent, but anonymous, card-fillers. That leaves both fighter and promoter in a bind that may be impossible to unravel.
If this was Diaz‘s last fight, MMA is losing a truly unique athlete. In a career spanning more than 12 years, he’s fought the best historical fighter in three different weight classes. When you include his bout with Frank Shamrock, at one point the greatest light heavyweight ever, you have a resume that will never be matched.
Diaz has his fair share of great wins. Paul Daley. TakanoriGomi. Robbie Lawler. But winning was never the central point in a Nick Diaz fight. Arguably, he was at his best in defeat. It was when things weren’t going his way that a hero emerged, a man incapable of anything but combat in its purest form, his self-confidence bordering on the absurd even as the chips were down.
Diaz fought the best and fought them his way. His warrior ethos and unwavering desire to fight for the finish, and not for the scorecards, wasn’t always smart. But it was true to who Diaz is.
In a world of phonies, it’s that authenticity that has helped Diaz capture the hearts of so many. In sport filled with fighters mouthing phony platitudes and of blood feuds culminating in a hug, he was a breath of the freshest air.
Diaz may have never been the greatest fighter in the world—but he may have been the greatest warrior. That’s a legacy worth remembering.
I love Nick Diaz.
In the spirit of full disclosure I think it’s important to tell you that up front. It’s a manly platonic love. Purely unprofessional? Sure. And deeply held.
Everything about Diaz resonates with me. His intransigence and “me agai…
I love Nick Diaz.
In the spirit of full disclosure I think it’s important to tell you that up front. It’s a manly platonic love. Purely unprofessional? Sure. And deeply held.
Everything about Diaz resonates with me. His intransigence and “me against the world” outlook, his willingness to endure tremendous punishment in order to make his point to an opponent and his obnoxious petulance in the face of any and all obstacles—I feel that, man.
There’s tragic glory waiting to reveal itself every time Diaz fights. Even his moment of greatest triumph was eventually ruined by his own fondness for marijuana. Diaz can’t get out of his own way.
That’s beautiful sadness.
But even as Nick Diaz‘s biggest fan, it’s been hard for me to get too excited about his fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 183 this Saturday. In every other Diaz tilt I’ve been able to convince myself, whether logical or not, that there was a path to victory for Stockton’s finest. Even against the great Georges St-Pierre I dared to dream.
With Silva, however, my heart has failed completely in the one mission I assigned it—overcoming my stubborn and analytical brain telling me that all signs point to a comeback win for the “Spider.”
It’s clear that the UFC is looking at the fight as a stepping stone for Silva. President Dana White is already dreaming of a third bout between the former champion and current middleweight kingpin Chris Weidman? And why not? Their last bout was the most successful UFC pay-per-view in years.
That means Diaz is seen as the opponent here. He’s the big name coming in to lose, a resume line chosen specifically for how well he matches up with Silva.
Diaz is a recklessly aggressive striker who never stops moving forward. Silva is the ultimate counterpuncher, a man who likes nothing better than to see an opponent moving towards him, the fly completely unaware of the web he’s walking into.
Nothing I did seemed to help relieve doubt. I read striking expert Connor Ruebusch‘s ode to Diaz and was briefly able to suspend disbelief. Diaz‘s unbelievable pace and willingness to absorb punishment, he argues, makes him a threat to anyone, even Anderson Silva:
It takes a highly disciplined opponent to consistently evade Diaz‘s attacks, and with each failed attempt Diaz‘s confidence grows, and his aggression with it. Despite the linear nature of his offensive footwork, he is more than happy to put wide, stinging hooks at the end of a combination, deceptively powerful punches that catch anything in a wide arc before him even as they allow him to pull his head back out of the range of his opponent’s counters…Of the eighteen men who have tried to stick to a gameplan and deny the ever-mounting Diaz swarm since 2006, only two have succeeded, and neither of them was able to thwart him entirely.
Michael Bisping, Fox Sports 1 commentator and perennial middleweight contender, agrees that this is where Silva is vulnerable. I asked him to make a case for Diaz. He did his best.
“Opponents can’t stand back too much or he’ll get comfortable and get into a real rhythm and start opening up with his boxing combinations,” Bisping said. “I think he’s capable of taking Anderson out of his comfort zone…I would say he has the better hands and better combinations. That’s how Diaz wins this fight.”
In Diaz‘s perfect world. that relentless forward momentum ends in one place—up against the cage, where he brutalizes foes with sweeping hooks to the body and bullies them with his head to keep them right where he wants them.
“I’ve always been gunning for Anderson myself,” Bisping said. “People would often ask me ‘what would be your game plan?’ And I’d try to back him up. I’d do just what Diaz will try to do—back him up against the fence and not give him room to maneuver. Anderson likes space. He likes to be in striking range. He likes to have room to circle away from his opponent and be just close enough to counter. Pushing him against the fence takes that away.”
Of course, Bisping cautions, even getting exactly what you want against Silva can be extremely dangerous. ChaelSonnen wanted to take him to the mat. He got a triangle choke for his troubles. Rich Franklin, the former middleweight champion, wanted, like Diaz, to push him against the cage and rough him up. The result wasn’t pretty.
“Rich Franklin found out the hard way. And after that fighters haven’t been so keen to get into the clinch with Anderson,” Bisping said. “You can stay in boxing range and still be at the advantage. Don’t get so close that Anderson can clinch. You can stand toe-to-toe without necessarily being chest-to-chest which is where he can get the Thai clinch.”
That’s a fine line. And Diaz, almost inevitably, ends up in the clinch in every single bout, drawn to the intimacy of close quarter combat.
Of course, that’s assuming Silva will allow the fight to proceed on Diaz‘s terms. Against Carlos Condit, Diaz‘s two fatal flaws were revealed to the world. He struggles against a mobile opponent, following his foe in circles rather than cutting off the cage. He’s also vulnerable to low leg kicks, refusing to check them and having to press the reset button again and again if a persistent opponent is willing to actively attack his extremities.
If Silva was watching the Condit fight closely, he may be able to forestall Nick’s best opportunities.
And then there’s the small matter of weight. Silva is a full-sized middleweight who has dominated the biggest and best fighters in that division for nearly a decade. That, according to Fightland’s Jack Slack, is a big deal:
The strength and size advantage for Silva is a significant one. The reason that none of the other super fights from the “summer of super fights” the other year came to fruition is that there is a reason that fighters cut weight.
Diaz has spent the bulk of his career at 170 pounds, even dropping down to lightweight in his younger days. He’s used to fighting men his size and smaller.
“The thing about Diaz is that he has a very long reach,” Bisping said. “That’s always been advantageous when he’s fought guys at 170. Against Anderson, he’s not going to have that reach advantage.”
Bisping points out, however, that there can be advantages in moving up a class, even if you’re still able to make the weight.
“When you cut weight, you lose muscle mass as well,” Bisping pointed out. “It just goes hand and hand with extreme dieting. You do lose a bit of strength and you do lose a bit of punching power. Diaz will certainly go into this fight as strong as he’s ever been. He’s been able to eat correctly, he didn’t have to diet so he’s been able to recover after every training session. I expect Diaz to be in the best shape of his life. Maybe not to look at. But in terms of endurance, strength and punching power.”
It’s an interesting proposition when you consider it that way. Diaz, at 31, could be peaking, his physical condition and martial skills aligning perfectly at just the right moment in time.
Silva, by contrast, is nearing 40. His last two fights have ended via brutal knockout and devastating leg break respectively. He hasn’t fought in more than a year. Considering so much of his game revolves around the breathtaking speed and reflexes he uses to counter an opponent’s every misstep, it’s safe to assume age will not be his friend.
Could Diaz actually pull this off?
Slack, for one, doesn’t see it as a likely turn of events:
…the stylistic match up is a horrible one for Diaz. He walks forward, he can’t cut off the ring, and he repeatedly throws himself head first into the double collar tie when he gets there.
…Diaz is fighting Silva in Silva’s world, at Silva’s weight, and provides exactly the kind of fighter Silva wants. Aggressive, emotional, and completely oblivious to the effects of lateral movement and low kicks.
That’s a damning account, a version of reality I can’t bring myself to face. I choose to believe Diaz will march forward, he will force Silva to fight and he will show the world that will power and endurance can overcome native ability.
Yes, this is Silva’s fight to lose. But it’s a fight he could lose. There is a path for Diaz to walk. There is hope and in hope lie dreams.
That may not be much. But for sports fans who have seen the impossible, it’s enough. In the end, a Diaz fan must live by the man’s own immortal words—”Don’t be scared homie.”
Jonathan Snowden is Bleacher Report’s lead combat sports writer. All quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
Bleacher Report lead mixed martial arts writers Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter have banded together—much like a modern-day version of Wham!—to take on the most important questions facing the MMA world. Welc…
Bleacher Report lead mixed martial arts writers Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter have banded together—much like a modern-day version of Wham!—to take on the most important questions facing the MMA world. Welcome to The Question.
In his last two fights, the once-great Anderson Silva was knocked unconscious and had his leg snapped into pieces. It seemed like an ignominious end to an amazing career.
But rather than go gently into that good night, the 39-year-old Silva decided to carry on. He main events UFC 183 this weekend, taking on former welterweight challenger Nick Diaz.
Does Silva still have what it takes to compete with the world’s best? Let’s discuss.
Jonathan: Anderson Silva is the greatest MMA fighter of all time. At his peak, he was better than anyone who’s ever stepped into the cage not named Jon Jones. More than that, Silva is an artist without compare. He doesn’t just bludgeon people into submissions. Silva creates art.
Anderson Silva is also my age. And that is very old. Too old, perhaps, to maintain your status as one of the world’s top prizefighters. I worry about him, Jeremy. Am I right to?
Jeremy: You are correct. You are very old. I know that is not the question you asked me, but I wanted to make sure you knew where we stood on that front.
As to the real question: I think it’s only natural to worry about folks who are getting older, especially when they get punched in the face for a living. I always worried about Randy Couture, for example. I still cringe when I think of Lyoto Machida killing him dead to finish his career. It’s like, “that’s an old man! Why would you do that to an old man? Pick on someone your own age, you brute!”
But then, this is what they do, and it is what they know. And with Silva, I feel like it’s different. I know it’s silly, but I still view his two losses to Chris Weidman as fluke-ish. I just can’t help myself. And so I’m hopeful that when Silva gets back in the Octagon on Saturday night, what we’ll see is a lot of what we used to see back when he was dishing out his patented Silva hurt.
Especially with his new bionic leg.
Jonathan: UFC was smart here. That’s not always the case these days, in a world where global expansion has forced them into fights that are perhaps a bit premature or ill-considered. But here matchmaker Joe Silva knocked it out of the park.
In Nick Diaz they’ve found the perfect opponent for Anderson.
Diaz is everything Anderson isn’t. He’s temperamental. He’s action-oriented. Most importantly? He comes forward. Whether things or going well or poorly, he’s in constant forward motion.
That plays perfectly into Silva’s game plan. He’s a counterpuncher by trade. He thrives on someone being foolish enough to chase him. Diaz will chase him. Diaz will get merked. It’s a tale as old as time.
Whether we believe Silva is washed up or just waiting for a chance at redemption, we won’t get definitive answers Saturday. This was a fight he was born to win.
Jeremy: We’re in agreement here. Remember the last time that happened? Oh, wait: That was on Saturday night, when we agreed Rumble the Unmerciful would beat Alexander Gustafsson by punching him in the face with violence.
In a way, I foresee the exact same thing happening to Diaz. For all of the reasons you stated and more, this is just a terrible matchup for Diaz. That’s unfortunate, because there is so much to like about Diaz, and after the beating he takes from Silva on Saturday night, I’m pretty sure we’ll see him decide to walk away from the sport again.
Jonathan: Diaz missed a big opportunity by not packaging that shirt with a pair of nunchucks. It was a perfect branding opportunity. I guess he didn’t go to school for that.
Everyone knows I love Diaz with all of my heart. He’s my favorite fighter. I know we aren’t supposed to play favorites. But Diaz represents everything I want to be. Pure id. He’s a glorious prizefighter.
But, and I know you could sense the “but” coming, he’s hopelessly outmatched. His best career win came against Takanori Gomi at 155 pounds. That was almost eight years and 30 pounds ago.
Diaz, even if the fight goes to plan, will be up against the cage with the Spider, trying to work him over with body shots. Talk to Rich Franklin to find out how well that works. Just try not to look at the crooked nose that resulted.
Jeremy: So we’re in agreement, I think, which is always a scary thing. But I see this one the same way as you. This is just an awful matchup for Diaz, while also still being a totally appealing fight. Most of that is because Diaz is awesome for all of the things he does outside the cage, and also for the spirit he brings to a fight. He’s a wild man.
But being a wild man isn’t enough. He’s facing either the greatest or the second-greatest fighter in the history of the world. An aging, depleted Anderson Silva is probably still more than a match for Silva simply because of the style differences, and I think we’ll see that play out on Saturday night.
Bleacher Report lead mixed martial arts writers Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter have banded together—much like a modern-day version of the Justice League—to take on the most important questions facing the MMA&nbs…
Bleacher Report lead mixed martial arts writers Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter have banded together—much like a modern-day version of the Justice League—to take on the most important questions facing the MMA world. Welcome to The Question.
Now that ConorMcGregor has proven he’s got legitimate star power, setting ratings records on Fox Sports 1, a new question comes to the fore. Will he prove to be equally as devastating in the cage as he is at the box office? He’s established himself as a legitimate contender—but can McGregor beat featherweight world champion Jose Aldo?
Jonathan: Well, Jeremy, it’s official. Although a few naysayers will continue to lurk in comments sections everywhere, it’s clear to everyone with a functional cortex that ConorMcGregor is the real thing. He didn’t just beat a tough fringe contender in Dennis Siver—he demolished him.
We’ve always suspected McGregor had the potential to be a box office sensation. His record-breaking performance on Fox Sports 1 proves there is fire alongside that smoke. And that success came before he had established himself as a legitimate contender. Now that he’s officially the top contender, and looks like he’ll be competitive against Aldo at the very least, I’m hopeful MMA, at long last, has a new star on its hands.
Jeremy: I think it’s clear the UFC does, indeed, have a new star on its hands. I wrote as much after the fight on Sunday. McGregor‘s star power and charisma can’t be denied, but we were skeptical if that would transfer into an actual ability to pull in television viewers. I think we’ve become accustomed to seeing a lack of interest in dudes who weigh less than 170 pounds.
But as you said, there is fire with McGregor. He can connect with more than just the casual UFC bro audience. The next step is pay-per-view, but the real McGregor intrigue for me no longer has anything to do with his drawing power. Now, I just want to see him fight Aldo. There are a lot of smart people who are much better than I am at making predictions—and this is not saying much, because I am absolutely terrible with predictions—who believe he has a legitimate chance to dethrone the champion.
I don’t know if I fall into that camp. But McGregor is absolutely a very good fighter, and he has some of the best offensive stand-up technique I’ve seen in a long time. He is relaxed and loose. The left straight punch that repeatedly harmed Siver is pitch perfect in terms of technique. McGregor has always claimed that it’s not about the hype and that his greatest asset is his technique and skill. I’m starting to think he might be right.
Jonathan: More than just technique, it’s the way McGregor‘s skill set was seemingly created with a fight against someone like Aldo in mind.
McGregor is the most active striker in the featherweight division. He pushes the pace and controls the distance with the kind of preternatural genius for spacing and timing that comes so naturally to some. Without fail he backs his opponents up into the cage, lashing out with a left hand that’s one of the most powerful weapons I’ve ever seen from a fighter under 155 pounds.
Aldo is a very different kind of fighter. He’s a counter puncher, content to pick his spots. He’ll look to catch McGregor coming in with a punch that changes the complexion of the fight. What’s so great about Aldo is that he’s very passive until the moment it’s time to strike.
It’s like Road House: He’s calm until it’s time not to be calm. How will you know? He’ll let you know!
Jeremy: I can’t believe you just made a Road House reference. I’m in awe. But you’re right. Aldo is a dude that just sits back and waits for you to come to him. He is not just a counter puncher, he’s a brilliant counter puncher. Couple that with his absolutely devastating leg kicks and you have what has thus far been a recipe for absolute destruction.
But McGregor is a master of space, and he has an extensive reach advantage. This is not a typical Aldo opponent with T. rex arms. The Irishman will have a 4-inch reach advantage on Aldo. More importantly, he knows how to use it. I mean, I don’t know if that’s enough to get the job done. But I think McGregor probably has a better shot at becoming the champion than we thought he did, say, six months ago.
Jonathan: McGregor‘s stance makes him very vulnerable to the leg kick. That’s a bad thing against Aldo. Just ask Urijah Faber. Or look at this picture.
But here’s where it gets interesting—it’s really hard to batter someone with leg kicks when you’re pushed back against the fence. McGregor, like a tiny Irish tidal wave, inevitably places his opponent there, right where he wants him. Of course, it’s easier to do that to the Sivers of the world than it is to impose your will on Aldo.
The other wild card here is the takedown. McGregor is so aggressive that he’s vulnerable to someone dropping levels and putting him on his back. Siver nearly managed it. If Aldo does, it will be something new for both McGregor and fans.
Jeremy, I don’t get excited that easily—but this is the most intriguing fight in all of MMA. Do you think fans see it that way too?
Jeremy: I don’t know if the fans are thinking about the matchup yet, but they’re clearly into McGregor. When he vaulted over the Octagon seconds after putting Siver away and went after Aldo (with no real intention of actually going after Aldo but instead with the intention of promoting the fight), I thought to myself: Here is a man who understands how this thing works. He understands that the money is in the chase.
The problem is that when the Octagon door closes, I’m not sure he has what it takes to beat Aldo. I thought Chad Mendes was going to get the job done, because Mendes is a terrifying ball of terror. But McGregor also has the ability to make us forget about how awesome Aldo is. He has done so not just through his excellent promotional work, but through his fighting. He is very good at fighting. And though I don’t believe the UFC will sell this fight based on fisticuffs—they’ll elect to talk about the bad blood and how THESE TWO MEN HATE EACH OTHER SO BAD because that is what they do—the actual matchup is the best part of this thing.
McGregor has a very real chance to be the featherweight champion in May. I don’t know about you, Jonathan, but the prospect of a longtime champion going down in flames to a new superstar is worth looking forward to.
Jonathan: Combat sports is all about renewal. The old is, inevitably, replaced by the new. Often by force. It’s beautiful and terrible to behold.
But Aldo, despite his five years as world champion, is still only 28 years old. He’s not quite ready to be put out to pasture. He still yearns to be great.
Greatness, however, is a product of adversity. Despite his dominance, we still don’t know whether Aldo has that next gear, the one required to dig deep and overcome the odds. He’s never really faced down a demon like McGregor.
It seems we’ve finally found the man capable of bringing that greatness inside Aldo out. He will have to be at his best to meet this challenge. McGregor can absolutely beat Aldo. Now we face the long wait until May, when we’ll find out if he will.
O’Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the world’s iconic thruways. Reborn in the late 1990s, it’s a beautiful testament to Ireland itself, celebrating the past while also looking forward to a promising future.
Lining the street are statues, r…
O’Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the world’s iconic thruways. Reborn in the late 1990s, it’s a beautiful testament to Ireland itself, celebrating the past while also looking forward to a promising future.
Lining the street are statues, representing great Irishmen from years gone by. Most people look at these great men and reminisce, recalling the Eire’s many contributions to the world.
But ConorMcGregor is not “most people.” The budding UFC star, who headlines the UFC’s card on Fox Sports 1 Sunday against Dennis Siver, walks O’Connell Street, the signature pedestrian area of his hometown, and sees not just forgotten icons and the dust of history—he sees opportunity.
“I look at that and now I want a statue,” he told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “Now I can’t wait to get my own statue up there…we will bring Jose Aldo over to Dublin, we will fill out a 90,000-seat football stadium in Croke Park.
“Croke Park is also a stadium we fought for our independence in. The British invaded the pitch in a tank and opened fire on the players and the fans. So it is a place that has seen blood and seen battle as well. So we will bring Jose Aldo over…and we will do battle once more. And I believe I will raise that belt in my home country. And I will demand a statue post-fight.”
While that may reek of delusional grandeur, McGregor is not alone in seeing a very bright future for himself. Suffice to say, the UFC is plenty excited about its new star, elevating him from the prelims to the main event in record time. He has an easy charisma and a gift for trash talk unsurpassed in MMA history.
It’s hard to compare him to anyone, because there is no prologue. The closest you can come is ChaelSonnen, but a version of Chael without the ironic detachment. Sonnen was performing, removed ever so slightly from his sometimes buffoonish material. He winked at his audience, letting us all know he was okay with the fact we were in on the act.
McGregor has the same gilded tongue, but his bravado is rooted in authenticity. When Sonnen was telling the world that he’d never lost a round, despite 14 career losses, it was understood he was putting us on. When McGregor says he’s the best fighter in the world, you get the sense that he really believes it.
“It’s more truth-talking,” McGregor explained. “I don’t speak trash. I speak truth. Occasionally I might throw in a little insult here or there, but this is the Irish way. I speak the truth. If I feel something is the way it is, I will say it. I will let it be known. Some people can’t handle the truth. That’s not my problem.”
That’s a subtle distinction—but an important one.
“There’s not really a disrespectful undertone to it,” Fox Sports 1 announcer Jon Anik said. “It is refreshing that someone can speak the truth. Even though there is some ego and some arrogance, I really think he’s speaking from the heart.”
It goes a long way towards explaining why the UFC, normally an exceedingly cautious promotion, has put its collective pedal to the metal. President Dana White calls him the biggest star the promotion has ever seen, outpacing Georges St-Pierre, Chuck Liddell and even Brock Lesnar. UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta, not usually as prone to hyperbole, compared the young Irishman to Muhammad Ali.
He isn’t alone.
“I was on an Irish talk show, and the presenter compared me to Muhammad Ali. I could not take something like that. He is up there. He is a god. He done what he done in a hostile time. For someone to consider that, because I certainly would not consider that, that is an honor to me,” McGregor said. “… He changed the face, not only of this game, but the face of the world. He was outspoken. He fought for what he believed in. He was a legend and a hero. I look up to him…he was a hero of mine, the way he carried himself.”
McGregor, being McGregor, has an Ali story of his own, one that started with the kind of street fight that defined his youth.
“I slipped a punch. And I shuffled my shoulders and said ‘Muhammad Ali.’ And threw a shot,” McGregor remembered, recalling the fight as vividly as any of his professional prize fights. “I done the Ali shuffle! I’m only 11 years old and did the Ali shuffle and threw a left hook.”
It was a tale that began in glory and ended with McGregor being stomped by five of his opponents friends. But he tells it with a smile. He seems to do most things that way.
Whether he’s ready or not, McGregor is here. No longer the future of the sport, at 26, he’s the present. He’s one of five fighters signed to an individual deal with Reebok, a sign of where he stands as well as the heights UFC hopes he’s able to climb.
Even the fighter himself, no stranger to singing his own praises in a captivating lilt that makes you stop what you’re doing and take note, seems taken aback by the ferocity of not only the UFC’s love but the high regard of his growing legion of fans.
While his out-of-nowhere success has, of course, led to no small amount of jealousy among his peers, McGregor is blissfully unconcerned—if not quite above it all, at least amused by it.
“I don’t really care. The whole division can hate me. The whole roster can hate me. The whole of America can hate me. I only need one American to love me,” McGregor said, a grin creeping onto his face. “And that’s Mr. Benjamin Franklin. As long as he loves me, I am good.”
McGregor‘s trek towards the title continues Sunday against Siver in Boston. While competition in the city, with the New England Patriots playing a birth in the Super Bowl that same evening, is fierce, McGregor has made the UFC competitive with the region’s top sports team. Some historians say there are more than 70 million people worldwide tracing their heritage back to Ireland. On certain weekends, it feels like most of them are in Boston.
“I lived the first 27 years of my life in that metro area,” Anik said. “And man, you go downtown, and it’s Irish pub after Irish pub. There’s a huge Irish contingent there. It’s an obvious tie-in with the city and the population. There’s a kindred spirit and an excitement for Irish fighters.”
That goes a long way towards explaining why, the last time McGregor was in town, the roof nearly exploded off of the TD Arena. And that was when he was a mere preliminary fighter, competing for the first time in America. Now that he’s made his mark as a burgeoning international star? Ear plugs might be something worth considering for those in the arena that night.
“Of course I was taken back by the Boston people the first time I walked out,” McGregor said. “It was phenomenal. I didn’t really understand then how much the Boston people hold their Irish heritage across their hearts. I was blown away by that, and that is why I’m back here. That’s why I’m excited and back here in phenomenal condition. I’m ready to put on a show for these people who have supported me from the early days. It’s a beautiful thing.”
The building blocks are there for McGregor to excel in the Octagon. He has an unorthodox stand-up style, a combination of karate and Western boxing that defies the common consensus that Muay Thai is the best base for an MMA striking game. But despite many people’s’ insistence that fighting is all about technique and a collection of nifty moves, McGregor‘s footwork and timing are only half the story.
Fighting, at the highest level, isn’t just about speed and strength. It’s about inquisition. Questions are asked of fighters in the cage. How they respond, whether they can meet any test of their resolve with courage and fighting spirit, is the at the heart of what makes an athlete special.
“(Fighting is) Ultimately trying to become comfortable in an uncomfortable situations. That was my thought frame at an early age. That is why, I feel, I am able to do what I am doing,” McGregor said. “I’m able to make bold claims. To look my opponent dead in the eye and tell him how I’m going to beat him. And then go out and do it under all those lights in the sold-out arenas with millions of people watching.
“There’s a lot of world champions in the gym. But in there, under those lights, people crumble. For me, it’s another day of that uncomfortable feeling that I’ve become so comfortable with.”
So far, McGregor has had all the answers. Against a middling crop of UFC featherweights, he’s looked like the kind of fighter who warrants the outlandish praise. But what happens when they are posed by a higher caliber of foe?
We’ve seen him venture into the Top 10 once, and make short work of Dustin Poirier. Anik, for his part, is confident that the man who has all the answers in the media will have them in the cage against Siver as well.
“We know he has great mic skills. We know he has great self-belief. But I think a lot of people wonder if he’s also an elite fighter. I think he is,” Anik said. “He’s on the brink of superstardom. I’m a believer. I have been since early on. He thrives under pressure—and there’s going to be a whole batch of it Sunday night.”
ConorMcGregor fights Dennis Siver in the main event Sunday at the TD Arena in Boston. The main card begins at 10 P.M. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Jonathan Snowden is Bleacher Report’s Lead Combat Sports Writer. All quotes were acquired first hand. Special thanks to Duane Finley and Pete Tenney for additional reportage.
On Tuesday, just days removed from his dominant title defense against former Olympian Daniel Cormier, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones surprised many in the MMA community by checking himself into a drug rehabilitation clinic. The move came afte…
On Tuesday, just days removed from his dominant title defense against former Olympian Daniel Cormier, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones surprised many in the MMA community by checking himself into a drug rehabilitation clinic. The move came after a December 4, 2014 drug screening by the Nevada State Athletic Commission revealed benzoylecgonine, the primary metabolite of cocaine.
While the UFC issued a short statement, little is known about how the promotion intends to proceed or what will happen to Jones in the aftermath. While jokes have flowed freely through social media, solid information has not. What follows are some of the facts and information about UFC’s code of conduct and Nevada’s drug testing policies and procedures.
Why Wasn’t Jones Punished and the Fight Stopped?
Nevada, following the guidance of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) makes a distinction between in-competition and out-of-competition use.
While performance enhancers like steroids are banned at all times, cocaine and most recreational drugs are banned only in-competition. WADA defines in-competition as:
the period commencing twelve hours before a Competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such Competition and the Sample collection process related to such Competition.
Since Jones was tested almost a month before his fight with Cormier, his test failure was out-of-competition and not punishable based on WADA standards. This is different than other fighters, like the UFC’s Nick Diaz, who failed drug screenings for recreational drugs while in-competition.
Wait, Is There Really Nothing Nevada Could Have Done?
Yahoo’s Kevin Iole wrote “The Nevada commission did nothing because it had no legal authority to do anything. Period.” Based on the WADA standard explained above, you can see how that would be an easy mistake to make.
But Nevada allows the Athletic Commission great leeway. In fact, Nevada code allows the Athletic Commission to revoke a fighter’s license for:
cause deemed sufficient by the Commission upon a hearing as provided for in NRS 467.113.
The state likely could have stopped the fight had they desired to based on this catch-all provision. Of course, Nevada is the same state that allowed Floyd Mayweather to delay his jail sentence in order to fight Miguel Cotto in 2012. Combat sports are big business in Nevada, capable of injecting upwards of $100 million into the local community with each major bout.
Can Nevada Punish Jones For His Failed Test?
Though they can’t punish Jones under their provisions against drug use because his failure wasn’t “in-competition,” the state does allow the Athletic Commission to discipline a fighter for a wide variety of reasons:
The Commission may suspend or revoke the license of, otherwise discipline or take any combination of such actions against a licensee who has, in the judgment of the Commission:
1. Violated the laws of Nevada, except for minor traffic violations;
2. Violated any provision of this chapter;
3. Provided false or misleading information to the Commission or a representative of the Commission;
4. Failed or refused to comply with a valid order of a representative of the Commission;
5. Conducted himself or herself at any time or place in a manner which is deemed by the Commission to reflect discredit to unarmed combat (emphasis added);
6. Knowingly dealt or consorted with any person who:
(a) Has been convicted of a felony;
(b) Engages in illegal bookmaking;
(c) Engages in any illegal gambling activity;
(d) Is a reputed underworld character;
(e) Is under suspension from any other Commission; or
(f) Is engaged in any activity or practice that is detrimental to the best interests of unarmed combat; or
7. Had personal knowledge that an unarmed combatant suffered a serious injury during training for a contest or exhibition and failed or refused to inform the Commission about that serious injury.
Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Bob Bennett told the Los Angeles Times that punishment was indeed an option for Jones:
“The commission will address this [out-of-competition] anomaly. That is an issue we will take up and [fighter discipline] is certainly an option available to the commission.”
Last year the Commission gave boxer Adrien Broner a warning for remarks they said “brought discredit” to the sport, citing paragraph five in the regulation. In the end, Broner wasn’t fined or suspended. Jones, too, may likely get off with a warning.
The controversy does offer Nevada an opportunity to clarify their stance on out-of-competition testing and make more clear what drugs will be screened and what punishments are potentially in play. Right now there is no precedent for how they will proceed. The Jones case, at the very least, should change that.
What Can the UFC Do?
Violations of the UFC’s Code of Conduct can result in discipline to include:
fines, suspension and cessation of service and may include conditions to be satisfied prior to the resolution of the incident.
Determination of the appropriate discipline for an incident will be based on the nature of the misconduct and other relevant factors.
maintain a high standard of sportsmanship and conduct themselves in a professional manner prior to, during, and following each Bout.
The UFC has set these baseline standard for fighter conduct, but how they handle missteps seems to vary greatly depending on the fighter. It’s safe to say the UFC’s decision whether or not to punish Jones is a complete mystery.
The danger here is the creation of a two-tiered system of justice. There is a perception that the UFC harshly penalizes undercard fighters while letting the superstars who bring in pay-per-view buys and plenty of media attention slide by despite similar infractions.
That kind of double-standard doesn’t sit well with many in 2015.
Why Are Athletic Commissions Testing For Cocaine?
While cocaine is not considered a performance enhancer by WADA, it’s use during any athletic pursuit has proven extremely dangerous. A study in the International Journal of Cardiology (via The Chicago Tribune) showed:
Cocaine is a potent stimulant that makes your heart beat faster. Low doses of cocaine usually do not cause significant irregular heart beats, while higher doses often do. This study shows that a low dose of cocaine can cause irregular heart beats during exercise. Cocaine augments the effects of the body’s own natural stimulants, which raise blood pressure and makes the heart beat faster, stronger and more irregularly.
The NSAC’s mission is to “ensure the health and safety of the contestants.” While Jones’ drug use likely didn’t place his opponent in any additional danger, he did likely place himself at the risk of great harm. Though it has been nearly 30 years, the death of basketball star Len Bias still resonates in the sports world.
What’s Next?
Jones has created quite a conundrum for the NSAC and the UFC. While not technically in violation of the Commission’s policy, it doesn’t quite feel right to simply let him off the hook. At the same time, calls to punish him severely for behavior that is basically unrelated to his job as a fighter seem too harsh.
The Nevada Athletic Commission will meet on Monday. Among the items on the agenda:
15. Discussion and possible action regarding the Commission’s out-of-competition drug testing program, for possible action.
It’s likely we will all know much more about what’s next for Jones then. Our own Jeremy Botter will be in attendance and will have the latest information as soon as it’s available.
Say this for UFC star Nick Diaz—the man knows how to put on a show.