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Michael Bisping: I Think Eddie Alvarez Destroys Conor McGregor

UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping faced stacked odds against Luke Rockhold on June 4. Although ‘The Count’ is one of the longest-serving current UFC stars, he’d been beaten rather dominantly against ‘Rocky’ already. Following the 2014 defeat to Rockhold, Bisping compiled three straight wins before taking the title shot on short notice. The British slugger

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Knocking out his foe in the first round, ‘The Count’ finally tasted UFC title glory after 10 years of trying. After 26 fights for the promotion, this was Bisping’s first title fight. Facing such staggering odds made his title glory that much sweeter. Since rising to the top the trash talking Englishman has really started to let his feelings be known. Currently slated to face his fierce rival Dan Henderson at UFC 204, ‘The Count’ has not limited his banter to ‘Hendo.’

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Trash Talk

First off we heard accusations of steroid abuse aimed at Dan Henderson. Then, in a recent snippet via BloodyElbow ‘The Count’ absolutely blasted Georges St-Pierre. Having called out the former welterweight champion 24 hours after winning the middleweight strap, the brash English native claimed GSP was a ‘pussy’ for not taking the fight.

“Quit being a p**sy Georges. I officially challenge Georges St-Pierre to a fight in Toronto in December. I’ll fight him at 180lbs. Right here, right now, I challenge him.”

McGregor

The subject of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is always a popular one. After defeating Nate Diaz in a classic war at UFC 202, doors to a title fight at 155 pounds were opened by Dana White. The UFC president revealed ‘The Notorious’ would not be stripped, but would have to vacate the 145-pound belt if he wanted to pursue a title in another weight class. Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is baying for that fight, and Bisping doesn’t fancy the Irishman’s chances. Here’s what ‘The Count’ told The Daily Star:

“I think looking at that last fight, he does not want to fight Eddie Alvarez at 155. I think Alvarez kills him man. He’ll just take him down and destroy him. I’m not saying that to be mean, I just think stylistically. I like Conor. Conor is incredible, he’s done amazing things for this sport. He’s brought so many eyes on to it, he’s making so much money and he’s exciting as hell. He brings excitement.”

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Conor McGregor: People Don’t Understand How Taxing This Is

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor had a tough time at UFC 196. Facing Nate Diaz in a short notice welterweight battle, the Irishman who’d never been defeated during his promotional run came unstuck. He unloaded some very powerful strikes in the first round, hoping to dispatch Diaz in similar fashion to his previous opponents, but

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Although bloodied and at that point outstruck, Diaz came out with fire in his heart and hands. Wobbling McGregor with a number of heavy counter strikes, it wasn’t long before the grappler’s prediction came true. Hurt from a stern left hand, ‘The Notorious’ shot in for a highly uncharacteristic takedown. It was easily stuffed by Diaz, and then began the real trouble for McGregor.

Taking full advantage of his massive grappling arsenal, Diaz first took the mount and rained down with punches, before McGregor bucked and gave up his back. Within a split second the arm was well under the chin and locked tight to the other bicep, and Diaz began cutting off the blood supply to the Irish star’s brain. Before napping, ‘The Notorious’ opted to tap and madness ensued from this point onward.

Part of the insanity that’s filled the aftermath of their first fight stemmed from the near-immediate booking of the rematch. McGregor had demanded a do-over at welterweight and the promotion obliged by giving the main event spot at UFC 200 as their date to dance once again. That was a very short lived booking.

As Diaz enjoyed his new found superstar status, McGregor began spiralling towards a fight he could not win, in the form of a standoff with the UFC. Briefly retiring from MMA with a sensational Tweet, then linking himself to a rather satirical boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, ‘The Notorious’ sparked huge debate as to his future in fighting, and his motivation to continue in the UFC. All this time the featherweight belt remained in keep, albeit in an undecided holding.

Continue to page 2 for McGregor’s explanation about his retirement and problems with the UFC…

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Video: Conor McGregor Training With Ido Portal For UFC 202

Of all the crazy trash talk and insane confrontations before UFC 196, Nate Diaz’s comments about Conor McGregor’s ‘unique’ training methods possibly stood out more than anything else. After ‘The Notorious’ had blasted the Stockton’s bad boy’s team mates as ‘cheaters’ following failed drug tests, also claiming he had weak sparring partners, Diaz responded with

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“Who do you train with? You’ve got that little goofy motherfucker with you. I have real training partners,”

“Top 10 fighters, Top 10 boxers, Top 10 jiu-jitsu guys, Top 10 kickboxers. You’re playing touch-butt with that dork in the park with the pony tail. And I’m the one who don’t got no training partners? I don’t think so.”

Diaz was referring to Ido Portal with that hilarious retort, McGregor’s movement coach. Portal’s influence had seen the Irishman adopt a very flow-based reactionary style of footwork, something many believed helped him score the crushing first round knockout of Jose Aldo during his championship winning moment at UFC 194. Everyone was suddenly obsessed with movement coaches, and the work with Portal became a big point of focus in the media.

As Diaz would put it, that ‘touch-butt’ did not help McGregor when they met in the octagon at UFC 196. Fighting at 170 pounds for the first time, ‘The Notorious’ would empty the tank in round one before getting slapped and tapped in the second.

mcgregor-dillon-danis[1] — After criticism of his grappling skills at UFC 196, Conor McGregor has drafted in Jiu Jitsu ace Dillon Danis to SBG (Straight Blast Gym) Dublin…

Once they were booked in to rematch at UFC 202 on August 20, McGregor clearly began taking Diaz far more seriously. He’d brought in Dillon Danis to help with his BJJ and the Olympic boxing team of Ireland to work on is striking. But as you’ll see in these latest training videos, the featherweight champion has been reunited with his old friend Ido Portal for this fight camp.

Continue to page 2 for all the training videos and images…

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Training Accident With Rory MacDonald Caused Conor McGregor’s Injury

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UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor was the subject of much debate before UFC 189. He still is to this day, but dug the lead up to last July’s pay-pr-view event in Las Vegas, ‘The Notorious’ was still a surging contender with UFC gold on his mind. Originally booked in to face then-undisputed 145-pound boss Jose Aldo in the UFC 189 main event, McGregor had spent an eventful world tour with the Brazilian champion, promising to knock him out and bring the belt back to Ireland.

As it turned out, ‘Mystic Mac’ was accurate in his predictions, but it would not happen at UFC 189. Aldo pulled out of the title fight with McGregor due to a rib injury sustained in sparring. Instead the UFC would draft in perennial contender Chad Mendes on two weeks notice, but the drama was far from over. Aldo would post x-ray images of his injury, claiming he had fractured a rib as a result of sparring, but UFC president Dana White disputed this the day before the event.

On appearances White was correct, as the image of the x-ray seemed an exact match to one released years before. With Aldo on the sidelines, McGregor took out Chad Mendes after being controlled on the ground for the most part of their fight. ‘The Notorious’ was crowned interim featherweight boss, but would later go on to reveal his own injury in the aftermath of his main event TKO victory.

The Irishman blasted Aldo for pulling out of the fight for a ‘bruised rib,’ claiming he had actually suffered a fight-threatening injury too, but opted to wait until after the fight to make it public.

Conor McGregor celebrates his win over Chad Mendes in the main event of July 11's UFC 189 from Las Vegas. Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale for USA TODAY Sports — Conor McGregor celebrates his win over Chad Mendes in the main event of July 11’s UFC 189 from Las Vegas.
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale for USA TODAY Sports

A torn anterior cruciate ligament was the knock McGregor revealed after UFC 189, but rumours of when and how the injury happened were somewhat sparse and without foundation. Until now that is…

Continue to page 2 for the full story…

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New Pics: Nate Diaz Is MASSIVE, Conor McGregor Slimmed Down

The post New Pics: Nate Diaz Is MASSIVE, Conor McGregor Slimmed Down appeared first on LowKick MMA.

The lead up to UFC 196, a least the last 11 days of it, was filled with talk about size difference. After dominating the featherweight division with his massive size and reach advantage, Conor McGregor found himself as the physically smaller man when Nate Diaz stepped in to replace the injured Rafael dos Anjos. No longer was the lightweight title on the line, nor was the 145-pound strap, as ‘The Notorious’ and Diaz agreed to a 170-pound weight limit for their short notice dance.

In the end it was the Stockton bad boy who would revel in the spoils of triumph, putting the crews to an exhausted McGregor with a second frame rear naked choke. As the Irish superstar tapped in submission, the mixed martial arts world was once again thrown in to turmoil. Another ‘untouchable’ fell to an underdog, and Diaz’s victory launched his stock in to the stratosphere.

Nate Diaz's classic post-fight interview following the win over Conor McGregor further boosted his status as a legit MMA icon... — Nate Diaz’s classic post-fight interview following the win over Conor McGregor further boosted his status as a legit MMA icon…

The sharp wit and cocky predictions of McGregor were now vastly over shadowed by the gritty realism and anti-BS of the infamous Nate Diaz. The grappler-boxer from Stockton, California was finally getting the air time he’d so wanted, but it wasn’t long before he was inevitably linked to ‘The Notorious’ once again. UFC 200 was the proposed event, and a do-over at welterweight was forcibly requested by McGregor.

UFC president Dana White revealed McGregor wanted to ‘run it back,’ thoroughly unhappy with his performance in their first fight on March 5, ad wanted the chance to show what he really had to offer the bigger man in Diaz. All this and more fell by the wayside as Diaz vs. McGregor 2 suddenly slipped out of existence, albeit temporarily.

Diaz whips a straight left hand that wobbled McGregor during their UFC 196 encounter... — Diaz whips a straight left hand that wobbled McGregor during their UFC 196 encounter…

‘The Notorious’ semi-retired, got in to beef with the UFC and even stoked the fire around the rumours of a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather before finally removing his head from the clouds. The deal was made, UFC 202 was the card on August 20, and the two rivals who shared such an enthralling beef before UFC 196 would do it all over again. But what of this ever present size difference?

Latest Diaz and McGregor pics on page 2…

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