Coaching on The Ultimate Fighter seems to have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for interim UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
Filming of season 22 lasted six weeks and just wrapped, but McGregor was the only constant variable prior to filming. Fellow contender Chad Mendes was origianlly paired to coach opposite McGregor, but plans shifted when featherweight champ Jose Aldo withdrew from UFC 189 in July. Mendes stepped in for Aldo, but the reality show lost a coach.
In came Team Alpha Male’s Urijah Faber, out went McGregor’s enthusiasm.
“They give me Urijah as a coach but they won’t let me fight him,” McGregor revealed in a newly released clip filmed weeks ago. “My energy was gone from it. I didn’t want to do it. [The show] did not mean anything to me. But the more I think about it and seeing the fights to get into the house and just being around it, this is the life I have chosen.
“This is the life I have created. To be here and have this opportunity is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Rather than be off with it and feel like I need to get away from it, I am embracing it now.”
McGregor has since been booked to face Aldo Dec. 12 at UFC 194 in Las Vegas, Nevada to unify the featherweight title, but the Irishman says he would have liked a tune-up against Faber.
“Really, it would be nice to have a fight at the end of it,” said McGregor. “We could easily fit a fight in on the Dublin card in The O2[3Arena] in October. Filming wraps at the end of September, I believe[sic]. I could go in and make light work of Urijah. I could maul him inside one round and be fresh.
“Then we could do the Jose fight towards the end of the year on one of these dates that’s being thrown around. They wouldn’t have it so we’ll just be coaches and that will be that.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The beef lives on. UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is still throwing shots at boxer Floyd Mayweather. “When he learns to read and write, he can text me.”
‘I don’t think anything short of a rematch would change things.’ Carlos Condit is up to fight Nick Diaz again, but isn’t sure Diaz will ever return to fighting.
Everyone loves Anthony. Both former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez and contender Edson Barboza want a fight with former UFC lightweight champion Anonthy Pettis in December.
Congratulations. UFC welterweight Jordan Mein retires from MMA competition at age 25 after 39 fights.
Exhale. UFC 190 drug tests all come back clean.
MEDIA STEW
Inside the Octagon with Ariel Helwani.
Bloomin’ onions and Sorta Sublime.
Miesha Tate and Cris Cyborg aren’t happy.
Daniel Cormier talks getting over loss to Jon Jones.
Chad Mendes with some fire for Conor McGregor.
Lyoto Machida plans to stick with middleweight.
Long watches.
If I Did It: Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Floyd Mayweather, Travis Browne? edition
…
Justin Wren joins The Fighter and The Kid
TWEETS
Fun.
Jose sporting the McGregor @Reebok line on his first day back from injury!! Get your’s NOW… https://t.co/VcdapbvWGf pic.twitter.com/35PMmDSICa
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 27, 2015
Big deal or no deal?
I will be heading to Bahrain to start my training camp with #khkteam @khalidbinhamad @shahidthehawk @RenzoGracieBJJ pic.twitter.com/pn5PbDLw1u
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) August 27, 2015
Beef.
Let’s go @TheDomin8r heal that chicken leg up so I can kick your ass already. Let’s sign a contract 4 @ufc New Years card. #TheBestNeverRest
— TJ Dillashaw (@TJDillashaw) August 27, 2015
.@TJDillashaw Ill be back in plenty time to school YOU “Silly Dilly”Dnt u worry.May jus send @johnDodson back up to take care my light wrk.
— Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) August 27, 2015
#snapchat on point today lol lancepalmer145 pic.twitter.com/HyMpwEHqGG
— Lance Palmer (@LancePalmer) August 26, 2015
Call me out on @UFCTonight … yet block me on twitter #pussyassbitch pic.twitter.com/eYbeGBQB6r
— ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings (@RowdyBec) August 27, 2015
Any interest?
. @RalekGracie – @JoshLBarnett and I are wrestling on Oct 23, correct?
— Chael Sonnen (@sonnench) August 27, 2015
Nothing but respect to the man but I would love to fight @UrijahFaber I would go up to 135 for that one !!! @seanshelby @danawhite
— Wilson Reis (@wilsonreis7) August 27, 2015
Be careful.
Between scenes workout! Bout to film the fight scene with @criscyborg!!! Stoked!! #FightValley… https://t.co/c37oknfyl3
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) August 27, 2015
acabei de lutar com a Jabs @mieshatate vcs vão amar o filme! I just fight with jabs/You’ll love it!@moviemaker4life pic.twitter.com/CYojCxZ61U
— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) August 27, 2015
Buds.
i would met definitely not be sad about this! very good news today thanks 🙂 https://t.co/U5hRQITdTn
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 26, 2015
Happy Holidays.
Me and #mydude #gaurddog #makaveli #dogday #100 https://t.co/n4KxlthRUT
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 26, 2015
#NationalDogDay pic.twitter.com/2QCYjYPAYn
— russell doane (@RussellDoane135) August 26, 2015
Show your dog some love today!#nationaldogday…Nia is like Elmyra from Looney Tunes with Champ. She… https://t.co/GO8osIGqKm
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) August 26, 2015
Me and my pal Bonnie for #NationalDogDay @ufc pic.twitter.com/6cZZKLqreE
— Brad Pickett (@One_Punch) August 27, 2015
It’s #nationaldogday so I gotta give a shout out to my two best friends #chico and #bane pic.twitter.com/iHVyHU3TCj
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) August 26, 2015
Here come the Marines.
Hey guys, I’m trying to take Ronda Rousey to the Marine Corps Ball this year and I need your help to reach out to her and her fans. Please share this post and video. Thank you!!
Posted by Jarrod Hash on Saturday, August 22, 2015
(via WBTV)
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Aug. 26 2015)
Piotr Hallman vs. Alex Oliveira at UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson
Jared Rosholt vs. Stefan Struve at UFC 193
Bartosz Fabinski vs. Hector Urbina at UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Gastelum
Valmir Lazaro vs. Michel Prazeres at UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Gastelum
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.