It’s easy to see where Conor McGregor gets it.
While we all love Greg Jackson, it’s refreshing to see a coach open up a bit more on some prickly issues.
Thursday, SBG Ireland head trainer John Kavanagh penned a piece for The42.ie touching on a few of the biggest storylines emerging from Sunday’s UFC Fight Night event in Boston.
In preliminary action, SBG welterweight Cathal Pendred scored a controversial unanimous decision victory over Sean Spencer. UFC president Dana White called the decision ‘a bad one,’ but Kavanagh believes it was Joe Rogan’s commentary that created a firestorm of negativity towards his fighter.
“People have been questioning the judges’ decision and I think a lot of it has stemmed from Joe Rogan’s commentary on the fight,” said Kavanagh. “When Joe starts to see one guy getting the upper hand in a fight, his mind seems to be made up and he can’t see it any other way. Sean started well so that seemed to settle it for Joe.
“Looking back at the stats from the fight, Sean only landed three or four more significant strikes, whereas Cathal had four takedowns, as well as some submission attempts, and Sean had none. Of course I am slightly biased when it comes to my own fighters – Who isn’t? – but I do genuinely feel Cathal did enough.”
Moving on to prized pupil McGregor, Kavanagh says the rising superstar revealed to him he felt he was ‘operating at about 30 or 40 percent of what he’s capable of’ in the main event against Dennis Siver.
McGregor earned a title shot against featherweight champion Jose Aldo with a second round TKO stoppage, letting Kavanagh finally ponder the matchup.
“I think Jose will want it to turn into a grappling match early on,” said Kavanagh. “As soon as he gets hit he’ll start to shoot for takedowns. Basically, similar to when he’s fought the guys from Team Alpha Male… but with the roles reversed.”
Saying Aldo’s five-round wars have ‘almost certainly taken a lot out of him,’ Kavanagh believes it’s time for a new generation to hold the title.
“I think he’s slightly on the slide,” said Kavanagh. “When you look at his last few fights, three or four years ago he was destroying opponents of that calibre inside a round or two. Now they’re all bringing him the distance and having decent exchanges.
“When Conor lands strikes it’s devastating, whereas Aldo seems to be happy out-pointing people now. Conor will stop him, maybe in the second or third round, but I do believe he’ll stop him.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Friends. Anderson Silva isn’t happy with the apparent willingness of his Brazilian friends to fight him. ‘When the guys talk like this, I’m very, very, very disappointed.’
‘They’re not really shining too hard.’ Nick Diaz says the UFC uses him because they need ‘a real fighter who fights.’
‘I believe he will be the best of all time.’ Anderson Silva says UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones needs to be supported, not criticized for his failed drug test.
‘Things didn’t work out as well as they could have.’ Nick Diaz thinks he would have beaten former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre if they’d fought at UFC 137.
An opening. One of the UFC’s biggest political opponents preventing the legalization of MMA in the state of New York has been arrested on corruption charges.
MEDIA STEW
An overload of Anderson.
Nice looks from Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson.
Friday Finishes from Inside MMA.
Trailer for the next Conor McGregor documentary in Ireland.
TTTHS.
Long watches.
UFC 183: Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz Conference Call
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Gross Point Blank – Ken Shamrock
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Post UFC Boston John Kavanagh: “McGregor gave himself a 30% score vs Siver
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UFC on Fox 14: Travis Browne talks CM Punk, Joe Rogan blasting Brendan Schaub & more
TWEETS
Whenever.
Ready whenever Im hoping soon”@Richiee94: @JonnyBones what’s your ideal date to fight the winner of Gustafsson/Johnson? #Unbroken #AndStill“
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) January 23, 2015
Get well soon.
Surgery is now complete…next step is putting my head down and busting out the rehabilitation… http://t.co/pMHj3h1aHQ
— Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) January 23, 2015
I’m feeling great. It sounds like I have a fight in Las Vegas. It’s just a matter of time @Reebok @BrochuKevin @ufc
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 23, 2015
Great training this morning – leg will be back at 100% soon! http://t.co/VXrae8Rxh6
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) January 22, 2015
Reality TV claims another.
Feel like I’m going to have take a social media leave of absence after tonight, like I lost a fight or something haha #MilionaireMatchmaker
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) January 23, 2015
Time for more wine
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) January 23, 2015
True story lol RT @mattrockhold: My brother @LukeRockhold is hiding out from Patty at my house
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) January 23, 2015
Watching my Friend @luckrockhold on millionaire matchmaker. Funniest thing I’ve seen in a… http://t.co/bHOJxEVGHC pic.twitter.com/9h5ycJvyjF
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) January 23, 2015
@LukeRockhold wanted the mixologist 😉
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) January 23, 2015
@LukeRockhold … Legend #MillionaireMatchMaker
— AL IAQUINTA (@ALIAQUINTA) January 23, 2015
They asked me go on the bow titanic style. I referenced u want me teach her how to spit, we joked about it back stage & editing is a bitch
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) January 23, 2015
@LukeRockhold lol dude nice job on millionaire match maker. Maybe the heat is on u now and they will forget about my blind date episode.
— Tim Sylvia (@timsylviamma) January 23, 2015
OK.
FREEDOM!!!!! pic.twitter.com/s2rkSuVa1a
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 22, 2015
Beefin’.
@johnlineker take it easy on me? Thanks but I’ll “run” laps around you before I choke the life out of you #fatboy #goodnight
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) January 22, 2015
Mmmmm kimbo licking good. Waiting for ur answer…@bellatormma #mma #jiujitsu #kickboxing #muaythai… http://t.co/7aVAmYkGFp
— Seth Petruzelli (@silverbackseth) January 22, 2015
Ready to fight, now on diferent ring,i fight to give respect to the fighters!!! Fomos feitos pra… http://t.co/oTipvRAOOO
— Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) January 22, 2015
Sure.
I got a call from #AmericanNinjaWarrior… hmmmmmm should I?
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) January 22, 2015
This Week in Struggle.
Best Worst job ever! http://t.co/9F5ApJgAtA pic.twitter.com/xjHGaMvf1t
— Rose Namajunas (@rosenamajunas) January 23, 2015
“Hey, let’s put 47 different kinds of drops in your eye then poke at it for 15-20 minutes” http://t.co/yVTiHU0pl5 pic.twitter.com/YkvWaRD522
— James Krause (@TheJamesKrause) January 22, 2015
Let’s book this fight. @bethecorreia says she wants it, I want it, the fans want it. When are we fighting @ufc @UFC_CA @seanshelby?
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) January 23, 2015
There’s beauty in the struggle .
— Sergio Pettis (@sergiopettis) January 21, 2015
I told my dentist: “if you don’t hurt me, I don’t hurt you”#spodakdental pic.twitter.com/OBSyCYXLqj
— Andrei Arlovski (@AndreiArlovski) January 22, 2015
How many times am I gonna get confused with Dave Herman & the dumb shit he says & dose come on people get your shit straight !
— Ed Herman (@EdHermanufc) January 22, 2015
Just watched blackhat.. Don’t bother as its shit!
— STORMIN NORMAN PARKE (@norman_parke) January 21, 2015
That moment when you are at the dmv and realize you are bummin it and your hair is a mess, and you have to take your license photo.
— Carla Esparza (@CarlaEsparza1) January 20, 2015
Forgot to shave before heading to the airport. Predicting my “Random search” ?? getting strange looks… http://t.co/aDWvKDlgN8
— Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush_) January 20, 2015
I have a dream, one day flyweights will be treated equal! #MLK #ihaveadream
— John Moraga (@chicanojohn) January 19, 2015
Cm punk gets signed to the ufc Kimbo to bellator #isuckatlife FML lol
— DaMarques Johnson (@DaMarques_UFC) January 19, 2015
Finished up my last meal before weigh ins tomorrow. Weight cut went great this camp. Feeling ready to… http://t.co/yBtmFAHjVL
— Dan Henderson (@danhendo) January 23, 2015
Hey nobody @DanielSel what’s the prob u just wake up and talk u must have shit in you mouth all day so what if I lost u can’t do what I do
— U R I A H H A L L (@UriahHallMMA) January 22, 2015
I just had the most wonderfully dorky non verbal conversation with someone I couldn’t understand cause they spoke orcish on WoW
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) January 22, 2015
@alexthemauler let me introduce you and your countrymen to a softer side.. #charmin #aloeandvitaminE… http://t.co/oUDREmqbSz
— Travis Browne (@travisbrowneMMA) January 22, 2015
#NoScrollZone @ufc internet Warriors are hot! they can’t get a rise or reply out The Chosen One! #UFC183 #ufc #ImFocusedMan
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) January 22, 2015
30 miles done! Can’t feel my hands. Lil colder than I thought out there. http://t.co/R0jw8Y2sJr
— chad mendes (@chadmendes) January 21, 2015
Oh someone had a mishap on the freeway? Let’s me slow the F%*k down & cause people that don’t rubberneck to slam their brakes.
— Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) January 21, 2015
Someone just ripped ass in the post office
— David Michaud (@bulldawgUFC) January 21, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Jan. 22 2015)
Bobby Green out, Benson Henderson vs. Jorge Madvidal at UFC Fight Night: Lamas vs. Mendes
Ryan LaFlare vs. Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Assuncao
Ben Saunders vs. Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Assuncao
Leonardo Santos vs. Matt Wiman at UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Assuncao
Cain Carrizosa vs. Leonardo Mafra at UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Assuncao
Drew Dober vs. Leandro Silva at UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Assuncao
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Emmery Myers.
Why Crocop’s return is actually a great thing.
News broke yesterday that the UFC has come to terms with Pride and K1 legend Mirko Crocop. While it is obvious this was a move designed to out flank the new Bellator, it isn’t nearly as egregious as some fans are making it out to be. This situation is rather comparable to the re-signing, less than one year ago, of Andrei Arlovski; a move similarly laughed off by fans. Fast forward 8 months and Arlovski is currently the number 7 ranked fighter and isn’t more than two KOs from a title fight. What earned Arlovski his return after his Zuffa release following an utterly dismal 0-4 run was a 6-1-1 series of fights against average competition, juxtaposed against a severe lack of star power and depth at HW. Since the last time Mirko Crocop graced the Octagon, he has claimed a K1 title, become a top ten ranked HW kickboxer and gone 3-1 in MMA, including two wins over the highly regarded Satori Ishii, who was probably considered the best Non-UFC HW outside whatever Russian-of-the-week is holding the Bellator title at the moment. If Arlovski deserved another shot, surely we can made the same concession for Crocop given what success he has found.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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.