Conor McGregor on Brazil Q&A: ‘They wanted to kill me as much as I wanted to kill them’

LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor’s fan Q & A in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the week of UFC 179 will long be remembered as a lively affair.

The fans, followers of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, let McGregor know they don’t appreciate McGregor’s caustic comments towards both Aldo and the rest of the division.

And McGregor enjoyed dishing it out as well as he took it.

“I enjoyed the experience in Brazil,” McGregor told reporters at last week’s “The Time is Now” UFC event. “I enjoyed it. It is what it is. Passion is passion. They’re passionate about this sport, I felt like, they wanted to kill me as much as I wanted to kill them.”

McGregor said he never took at offense to what, at times, were vulgar and derogatory comments aimed at the Irish featherweight.

“Passion for the sport is what drives it,” McGregor said. “I read that people thought I was disrespectful, but I did not come there to disrespect them. I enjoyed it. This is the game. Fans enjoy the Brazilian competitors. If it was in Ireland, it would be just as crazy in the other direction. Passion is passion and there’s no reason to stop it.”

That passion, of course, could fill a soccer stadium in either Brazil or Ireland, should an Aldo vs. McGregor title fight come to pass.

“I respect these people,” McGregor said. “At the end of the day I respect everybody. I’m on my own journey, but there’s only room for one.”

LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor’s fan Q & A in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the week of UFC 179 will long be remembered as a lively affair.

The fans, followers of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, let McGregor know they don’t appreciate McGregor’s caustic comments towards both Aldo and the rest of the division.

And McGregor enjoyed dishing it out as well as he took it.

“I enjoyed the experience in Brazil,” McGregor told reporters at last week’s “The Time is Now” UFC event. “I enjoyed it. It is what it is. Passion is passion. They’re passionate about this sport, I felt like, they wanted to kill me as much as I wanted to kill them.”

McGregor said he never took at offense to what, at times, were vulgar and derogatory comments aimed at the Irish featherweight.

“Passion for the sport is what drives it,” McGregor said. “I read that people thought I was disrespectful, but I did not come there to disrespect them. I enjoyed it. This is the game. Fans enjoy the Brazilian competitors. If it was in Ireland, it would be just as crazy in the other direction. Passion is passion and there’s no reason to stop it.”

That passion, of course, could fill a soccer stadium in either Brazil or Ireland, should an Aldo vs. McGregor title fight come to pass.

“I respect these people,” McGregor said. “At the end of the day I respect everybody. I’m on my own journey, but there’s only room for one.”