Lyoto Machida: ‘Jose Aldo is technically better’ than Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor watched Jose Aldo defeat Chad Mendes in a spectacular bout on Oct. 25, but former UFC champion Lyoto Machida doesn’t think McGregor has what it takes to dethrone the reigning champion.

“If you’re going to compare him to Jose Aldo, Aldo is technically better,” Machida told MMAFighitng.com. “(McGregor) is a tough fighter, he’s coming out strong, but you can’t say he beats Aldo. Aldo is too dominant.”

Machida and McGregor are completely different fighters inside and outside the Octagon, but that doesn’t mean the former light heavyweight champion disapproves the way the Irish featherweight promotes himself.

“He can promote himself the way he wants. I don’t see (McGregor) as a bad person,” Machida said. “He’s right, he’s promoting himself this way, and we have to respect him.”

Coming off a unanimous decision loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman in July, Machida will try to start a new run to the title against C.B. Dollaway on Dec. 20, and he won’t take a few pages from McGregor’s book just to get to a title fight faster.

“It’s not my style to talk trash to my opponents,” Machida said. “I have techniques to get (to a title fight) in a way that I think it’s the right way. If you win fights convincingly, it makes it easier.”

Conor McGregor watched Jose Aldo defeat Chad Mendes in a spectacular bout on Oct. 25, but former UFC champion Lyoto Machida doesn’t think McGregor has what it takes to dethrone the reigning champion.

“If you’re going to compare him to Jose Aldo, Aldo is technically better,” Machida told MMAFighitng.com. “(McGregor) is a tough fighter, he’s coming out strong, but you can’t say he beats Aldo. Aldo is too dominant.”

Machida and McGregor are completely different fighters inside and outside the Octagon, but that doesn’t mean the former light heavyweight champion disapproves the way the Irish featherweight promotes himself.

“He can promote himself the way he wants. I don’t see (McGregor) as a bad person,” Machida said. “He’s right, he’s promoting himself this way, and we have to respect him.”

Coming off a unanimous decision loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman in July, Machida will try to start a new run to the title against C.B. Dollaway on Dec. 20, and he won’t take a few pages from McGregor’s book just to get to a title fight faster.

“It’s not my style to talk trash to my opponents,” Machida said. “I have techniques to get (to a title fight) in a way that I think it’s the right way. If you win fights convincingly, it makes it easier.”