Conor McGregor doesn’t know who he’ll be fighting at UFC 189 and he doesn’t care.
With UFC champion Jose Aldo’s questionable status, McGregor seems unbothered with the possibility of fighting fellow contender Chad Mendes on July 11.
“It’s part of the business,” McGregor told media Thursday night in Las Vegas. “It is what it is. I did predict it. You can’t go into wars time and time again. The body breaks. The body has given in, but it’s still there. It turns out it’s just a bruised rib so a little bit of ice, little bit of Ibuprofen, little bit of toughen the f**k up and we should get on with the fight.”
McGregor was even willing to fight at lightweight to remain on the card, just as long as he didn’t disappoint his Irish countrymen flying over to watch him compete.
“It makes no difference to me,’ said McGregor. “There were a few different options. 155 [pounds] was an option if the [Aldo] fight would have had to be rescheduled for seven weeks time, which is what they were telling me. I said, ‘Well, there’s a lot of Irish people coming over here, costs a lot of money here in Vegas, so as long as I’m fit and healthy it’s only right to show up and fight.’
“I don’t give a f**k. I’ll be there, July 10, 145 pounds and July 11 I will have a gold belt wrapped around my waist. Everything else means nothing to me.”
McGregor is, of course, hopeful Aldo makes the walk, but says he wouldn’t need to adjust his gameplan for five rounds with Mendes.
“Who the f**k knows, eh? Who knows. Again, I know I’ll be there. That’s all I know. I’ll whoop both of them on the same night, if need be. Whoever shows up to the Octagon will get beat. They’re all the same to me.
“They throw the same shots, Chad and Jose. They’re similar on the feet and in the wrestling. I feel they are similar style opponents. They’re all the same to me. Don’t even tell me. I’ll show up at the scales and whoever’s there is there. I don’t need to know.”
Despite Aldo’s injured rib, McGregor says the champ has too much at stake not to compete on the night.
“It should be Jose,” said McGregor. “Many people have stepped into the Octagon banged up. We’re all banged up in some way. It’s a bruised rib. Many people have stepped into the Octagon with that similar injury. There’s pride on the line for him now. If it’s sore and it’s not broken and you’re going to lose your belt if you step in and then you don’t step in, that’s fear. That’s a weakness. He must show up and fight.”
Oddly enough, McGregor says he’s not planning to pounce on Aldo’s injury once they get underway.
“I’m gonna go for the chin,” said McGregor. “I want to knock him out. He doesn’t need to worry about his ribs. I’m not going to go out and purposefully target an area. If he shows up and fights we’ll fight as scheduled. I’m not going to start diving on things. I’m just going to fight my fight. It’s the chin I’m hunting.”
UFC 189 takes place July 11 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The MMA Beat. The panel discusses the latest involving UFC 189, the aftermath of Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock, Lyoto Machida’s quick return and more.
So many. Headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia, UFC 190 will feature seven fights on the pay-per-view main card.
Next for DJ. According to UFC president Dana White, John Dodson will be the next challenger to face flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson.
First PVZ, now Joanna Champion. UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk inks a personalized endorsement deal with Reebok. ‘I am pleased that together we can inspire women in Poland to train as fighters.’
‘Two paychecks would be good.’ Bellator and GLORY’s Joe Schilling says he believes both organizations should compensate him for competing at their hybrid show ‘Dynamite.’ ‘Shouldn’t I get paid from both of them? It’s a Bellator event and I’m representing GLORY.’
MEDIA STEW
UFC 188: Fight Motion.
Open workouts from UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero.
Bellator 138 Uncut.
‘The Brazilian Conor McGregor’ Jonas Bilharinho says he wouldn’t fight with the injured rib if he were in Jose Aldo’s place.
Inside Renzo Gracie’s New York City gym.
Sounds like Conor could be buying the MacMansion.
Long watches.
Cub Swanson Does Peru – Episode 4: Finishing The Hike and Machu Picchu
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TWEETS
Same old story.
The corruption in NY politics is DISGUSTING!!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) June 25, 2015
Let’s just go to msg and fight each other anyway
— Al Iaquinta (@ALIAQUINTA) June 25, 2015
I am NOT in a “New York State of Mind” and will not be singing “New York New York #very disappointed
— Marc Ratner UFC (@MarcRatnerUFC) June 25, 2015
embarrassed 2 c the bs in ny politics this is disgusting how many corrupt politicians have to go to jail b4 we get 2 fight at home smh
— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) June 25, 2015
W/Sheldon Silver gone, we’re missing a piece to the MMANY ban. IMO it may not be the sport itself that the senators don’t want. #Point2Prove
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) June 26, 2015
FYI.
Don’t get it twisted they called me ..
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) June 25, 2015
Dang.
Disappointed I wasn’t the stand by guy. Felt it should of been me, think a lot of you feel the same. Thanks for all the support.
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) June 25, 2015
@FrankieEdgar this is so wrong
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) June 25, 2015
Please be careful.
200ft fall from one of the sand-dunes. #mividaloca #peru https://t.co/iFlPQw6wIy
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) June 25, 2015
Good to hear.
Could not be happier. After spending all week in the hospital I am finally going home with mom and baby who are… http://t.co/3SNBsKg8rR
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) June 25, 2015
Hungry.
I started training again. ??????????? ???????????????? ???9???????????????????????????????… http://t.co/Jds8zfFUfU pic.twitter.com/AZ7JDIflBG
— ????tatsuya kawajiri (@CRUSHER_MMA) June 26, 2015
Beef.
@EliasTheodorou yes you are the TUF champ…Not an impressive season I might not have won but tuf17 is still the best n I did it alone “sir”
— U R I A H H A L L (@UriahHallMMA) June 26, 2015
This Week in Struggle.
Disney world today, hottest day ever!
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 25, 2015
The fighting for my taxes was a joke… 2 years ago yes! Well kinda . I make a lot a once and spend a lot = lost of money for Uncle Sam
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) June 23, 2015
Rough gig right now back out in Texas. Judging Miss Twin Peaks 2015 National Contest https://t.co/9a1sEJNmWb
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) June 25, 2015
Pushing through…. #UFC190 #Aug1st #andSTILL Pic by hansgutknecht Outfit by @reebok https://t.co/NnCJ20ofDx
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) June 22, 2015
Trying to get home to my dogs and my girl. Stuck in Newark. @united can kiss my ass. Most disrespectful people I’ve ever dealt with.
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocicufc) June 21, 2015
At @LABCORP in #pembroke getting blood tests for July 12th.. No receptionist, specimens all over floor. Looks safe. pic.twitter.com/vw27kEHss5
— Josh Samman (@JoshSamman) June 19, 2015
3 weight classes larger and still kicks faster then me jordan.w.bc https://t.co/utozr5Purd
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) June 25, 2015
We should make peace in between @ReebokCanada teammate,not war! :'( @rory_macdonald is on fire.. Unfortunately for me pic.twitter.com/PLZCzwqbSG
— Olivier Aubin (@MMAOAM) June 22, 2015
I got some dental work done today and got stitches in my mouth. I can’t chew, I been eating soft foods all day, and I’m over it already
— Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86) June 23, 2015
@MieshaTate made these and I’m dieting what did I do to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment?!! pic.twitter.com/fYRhtFUfBg
— Bryan Caraway (@BryanCaraway) June 23, 2015
Never in my life have I wanted a plane to crash just to make it stop and we haven’t even taken off… https://t.co/4XbNxpA5KO
— Joe Schilling (@JoeSchilling187) June 23, 2015
So lost and confused just got hustled by a fan for a ton of pics kudos to him he deserves the pics don’t know how he got my room number lol
— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) June 25, 2015
Southpaw: a movie about a fighter who doesn’t stand in the southpaw stance. pic.twitter.com/RNwi786MQs
— Cathal Pendred (@Pendred) June 23, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (June 25 2015)
Felipe Arantes vs. Yves Jabouin at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via ynassar.
Graham Boylan the next UFC head of Europe, Middle East and Africa?
Graham Boylan to replace David Allen?
Graham Boylan, former CEO of Cage Warriors MMA (CW), sent out a tweet approximately 16 hours ago that could signal that the former Cage Warriors CEO could replace David Allen as the UFC’s head of Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“I’ve had a 6 month break Im rested I think its time to play again.”
Could Graham Boylan, who resigned from his position as CEO of CW earlier this year, be getting the nod to run the UFC’s European operations? It certainly seems like a good fit. It was under Boylans’ tutelage that CW grew into Europes most recognized MMA promotions and graduated a number of their alums into the UFC (Joanne Calderwood, Dan Hardy, Michael Bisping, Joseph Duffy and most notably Conor McGregor ).
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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