LAS VEGAS — Chael Sonnen whipped the MMA community into frenzy — which he is known to do — when he said on Jim Rome last week that Conor McGregor had to cut almost 30 pounds in eight days to make featherweight. McGregor said that’s just not true.
“We did have a discussion, but I think he must have misheard me, what I said,” McGregor said Tuesday at UFC 189 open workouts. “But I didn’t say I was that high. That’s too high this close out. I’d say I walk around at that weight. He must have misheard me. I don’t think anything of it.”
Sonnen, who spoke with McGregor at ESPN, told Rome that McGregor was at 172 pounds last Thursday. The former UFC middleweight No. 1 contender expressed doubt that McGregor would make 145 for his interim featherweight title fight against Chad Mendes in the main event of UFC 189 on Saturday here at MGM Grand.
“He’s a very big guy,” Sonnen said. “I was impressed with how big he is. I was like ‘Conor, what do you weigh?’ He said ‘I’m around 172 pounds.’ He’s got to be 145 pounds in eight days. I don’t know how he’s going to do it. He’s very lean. He has a very busy schedule. He’s training at Las Vegas. He was just in L.A. with Conan O’Brien last night. He’s in New York for Reebok a day before that. He was in Connecticut the day before that. One, how does he do the weight? And two, how does he find the time? I don’t know.”
McGregor (17-2) said it’s all much ado about nothing. He said he’s right on track to make 145 when he hits the scale Friday.
“I’m a professional in this business,” McGregor said. “I don’t mess around here. I take this game pretty seriously. I’m on point. My weight is smooth ass. Don’t believe everything you hear.”
McGregor has admitted in the past that he does have a hard time going down to 145 and that his natural weight class is probably 155, where he sees himself in the not-so-distant future. But as for now, he said he’ll make featherweight without any drama.
A new layer to steep weight cut problems is the USADA ban on IVs for rehydration after weigh-ins. The UFC’s new anti-doping program starting this month is run by USADA. The IV ban will begin in October to give fighters a grace period.
McGregor said that won’t necessarily mean anything to him nor his future at featherweight.
“I have rehydrated without the IV many times, so it will just be a little different in the preparation, in the lead up,” McGregor said. “It won’t affect me. Like I said, a professional inside and outside.”