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Conor McGregor Explains Why He’s Not Returning To UFC Next

Hoping to see Conor McGregor back in the UFC soon? Dream on… Since winning his second UFC title last November, Irish star Conor McGregor has started branching out. Arguably the biggest star in MMA history, ‘The Notorious’ has started thumbing pies left and right. After winning the UFC lightweight title, to add to the featherweight

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Hoping to see Conor McGregor back in the UFC soon? Dream on…

Since winning his second UFC title last November, Irish star Conor McGregor has started branching out. Arguably the biggest star in MMA history, ‘The Notorious’ has started thumbing pies left and right. After winning the UFC lightweight title, to add to the featherweight strap he’d claimed from Jose Aldo, McGregor announced a break from fighting. Almost right away the talk turned to a long-rumoured, but never credible boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. The modern pugilistic great entertained the idea, claiming he’d only come out of retirement to fight McGregor.

Once the social media war began, media and fans were more than sceptical about this rivalry. Then, out of the blue, UFC president Dana White gave the bout a realistic flavor. Offering both men $25 million to fight, White had given the bout a jolt of authenticity. Although Mayweather belittled the purse bid, McGregor’s acquisition of a boxing license in California. Given the already rampant fascination about boxing vs. MMA, McGregor vs. Mayweather is being talked about a whole lot. If yesterday’s pay-per-view interview with Ariel Helwani is anything to go by, ‘The Notorious’ isn’t coming back to the UFC any time soon:

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

McGregor’s Bombshell

Discussing his immediate plans during a sit down with Helwani, McGregor said it won’t be a return to the UFC that’s top of his priorities:

“That fight is more than just being explored. That fight has been in the works awhile now. Look, there’s a lot of steps to get through to get the fight going, but it’s the fight to make. It’s the fight the people want. It’s the fight I want. I know I’m confident going in there.

“I’ve got the reach. I’ve got youth. I’ve got the confidence. I’ve got the unpredictable style. You can’t prepare for a style like me. A guy said to me, why conquer one world when you can conquer two? So I’m going to go conquer two worlds. One-hundred percent,” McGregor said. “I believe the next time I step into a combat arena will be through the ropes wearing 10-ounce or eight-ounce gloves. I believe so.”

Mandatory credit: Adam Hunger USA Today Sports

Motivation

Further discussing the point, McGregor believes with the ALi Act, he’ll be able to box Floyd Mayweather without ramifications from the UFC. The Irish striker also says he is motivated by his doubters regarding this pairing:

“The sound of laughter and the sound of doubt motivates me. So I’m enjoying that. I seek that. I don’t feel that going to fight any of these other UFC bums right now. They need to rise up. Right now, they’re down there. I’ve got this situation where people are truly doubting me, like they doubted me at the very, very beginning, and that’s motivating for me. That’s what’s going to drive me to the gym when I need to go to the gym, and to put in that work to get that win. So that’s where we’re at right now.”

“With the Ali Act, I believe I can,” McGregor said. “Especially now that there’s offers on the table. But I think it’s smoother if we’re all involved. I think we’re all about good business. I’ve done great business with the UFC, with Dana (White), with everyone. I think it’s smoother if everyone just gets together and we get it involved. But again, everyone’s got to know their place.”

Mayweather, Not Ferguson or Khabib

“Everyone’s got to know their place,” McGregor reiterated. “There’s Mayweather Promotions, there’s the UFC, and now the newly formed McGregor Promotions, and we’re all in the mix. So that’s what I’m saying. Nobody is my boss. I know Floyd likes to say Dana (White) is my boss and this and he decides. Hell no. Nobody decides this. If they let people go fight jiu-jitsu tournaments, they can’t stop me going to fight a boxing fight. So obviously it’s smoother to do it all together, but look, everyone’s just got to know their place, and everyone does know their place. Low key, everyone knows their place, so we’ll figure it out.”

“(Mayweather) is the scared side, let’s be honest,” McGregor said. “He’s not trying to have a real fight. He needs rules to protect him. I don’t need rules. So he can say he’s this and he’s that, but in reality, he’s scared sh*tless. He is scared sh*itless. If I decide to just fight him straight-up – look, f*ck the UFC, f*ck MMA, f*ck boxing, f*ck sports fighting. Let’s just say we fight. It’d be the easiest fight ever.”

“I’ll tell you what, for $100 million, I’ll sit for another year,” McGregor said.

“I’m twitching (from inactivity) sometimes, but f*ck it, this is historic. Fighting Khabib what-the-f*ck-his-name-is, Tony Donkey, Jose, even Woodley for the third (title), it’s not this. Sometimes you’ve got to be patient with situations, and I feel this is one of them. Plus, the situation around me, Dee’s about to have a baby, I’m looking forward to that. I’m in a different mindset right now, so I’m happy. Everything seems to just be working perfectly for me, so a little bit of wait is not too bad. I’m okay with it this time, for now.”

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Khabib: I Will Torture Conor McGregor For Five Rounds

By defeating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, Conor McGregor blew the lid on the possibilities in mixed martial arts. Already a record-breaking force to be reckoned with, the Irish striker put an unquestionably dominant stamp on his New York title fight. Already holding the featherweight belt from the year previous, the infamous trash talking boxer smashed the

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Then came his big announcement after UFC 205, and it wasn’t retirement. To the contrary, ‘The Notorious’ said he wanted time off to care for Dee Devlin during her pregnancy, but aims to return and defend both belts. Conflicting reports would indicate the Irishman will in fact be stripped of the 145-pound belt. Should these turn out to be true, then surely the focus shifts to the lightweight division for McGregor’s immediate future.

Khabib

When discussing potential contenders at 155 pounds, two stand out above the rest; Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. Arguably it could go either way, but currently 24-0 and fresh off a demolition of Michael Johnson, ‘The Eagle’ believes he should be next in line. Talking with TMZ Sports, the dominant wrestler said he will toy with Conor McGregor for five rounds:

“I want to finish his hype. I don’t care about money, I have money, but now I want the belt. I want to talk in his ear, slap him and make him nervous. Then I want to let him stand up, ask him ‘Where is your boxing?’ then slap him more. I don’t want to finish him early, I’d rather fight for 25 minutes with him.”

Nurmagomedov then discussed the incident with McGregor after the UFC 205 weigh-ins. ‘The Notorious’ was filmed spitting insults at ‘The Eagle’ after the scales show, and Khabib says the Irishman should be careful:

“I’m Not Eddie Alvarez or Tyron Woodley”

“He watched me at weigh-ins, McGregor was looking at me all crazy. I asked him ‘what you want?’ I saw how he was with Tyron Woodley, but I’m not Tyron Woodley or Eddie Alvarez, I’m different. If somebody watch me like crazy, I can go crazy too. There was a lot of security coming, I watched his eyes, he was saying ‘what?’ but he did nothing. Of course (I was ready to go right there). I’m ready to go anytime, I had a lot of street fights, back when I was amateur I had many street fights. Now I’m a UFC fighter, I have to warn people to be careful, I don’t do it anymore. “

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Joe Rogan: UFC Should Let Conor McGregor Fight Tyron Woodley

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After the madness of UFC 205, the dust is now starting to settle. Arguably the biggest UFC event of all-time, the New York debut could not have gone better. Following the highly disappointing UFC 200 card back in July, this weekend’s action was refreshing in its entirety. Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor headlined the stacked card at the MSG (Madison Square Garden), on an evening filled with all the highs and lows of an instant classic event. Fighting for his own piece of history in the main event, McGregor made an incredible statement.

‘The Notorious’ was simply on another level at UFC 205, and Alvarez looked lost in the octagon. Like he’d never been before, ‘The Silent Assassin’ was controlled and put down with hitman-like accuracy. Eventually crumpling Alvarez at the eight-minute mark, McGregor stamped his name in the history books with conviction. Now the first champion to ever hold simultaneous titles in the UFC, the doors for many potential fights are wide open.

Who’s Next?

Speaking during his most recent podcast series The Joe Rogan Experience, the popular color commentator discusses being live in NYC for McGregor vs. Alvarez:

“It was the biggest card we’ve ever put together. It’ll never be like that again, that was the last block of corruption standing in the way of the UFC in New York. The main event was almost bizarre, it’s almost bizarre the way he picked apart Eddie Alvarez. Like magical is almost the word I want to use. He touches motherf*ckers with that left hand.”

“The moment Eddie got hit, he was like ‘What the fuck?’ I just think Conor knew that he had him. He’s such a unique personality, but it’s also his style. He does a lot like what Wonderboy does, but with less kicks, but I think he does it better. It may be something he does with the focus of his shots, the precision. He’s hitting them in a surprise way, and he’s not telegraphing it at all. There’s no fat in his movements.”

All The Belts!

After their confrontations leading up to UFC 205, there’s been a lot of debate about Tyron Woodley vs. Conor McGregor. ‘The Chosen One’ retained his title with a thrilling majority draw in the UFC 205 co-main event, earning ‘fight of the night’ against Stephen Thompson. Rogan believes the UFC should allow McGregor the title shot in a third division:

“Let him try, I say they should let him try. I know what Woodley would say, he’d say ‘Let him try.” Do you know how big Tyron Woodley looks compared to Conor McGregor? He is jacked, he’s the most jacked dude, I think, other than Yoel Romero.”

Whether you love or hate him, it’s hard to argue against Conor McGregor’s vast influence on the UFC and MMA as a sport. Holding two belts, it’s conceivable he’ll try for another, but where will it all end? Will the UFC force McGregor to vacate or defend before a potential fight against Tyron Woodley?

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Dana White: UFC 205 Has Already Broken MSG Gate Record

This is big money, really big money… UFC 205 is set to pop off on November 12 from the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Following a near-20 year battle to get MMA legalized in NYC, the promotion will sink its teeth in to the Big Apple with a stellar card. Leading the UFC

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This is big money, really big money…

UFC 205 is set to pop off on November 12 from the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Following a near-20 year battle to get MMA legalized in NYC, the promotion will sink its teeth in to the Big Apple with a stellar card. Leading the UFC in to New York will be a lightweight title tilt between champion Eddie Alvarez and 145-pound boss Conor McGregor. ‘The Notorious’ got an immediate shot at lightweight gold, stirring up outrage among the top contenders of the division. Potentially retiring or taking an extended period off after UFC 205, McGregor once again has the MMA world captivated.

Aside from the record-breaking first show in NYC, and the fact McGregor could become the first champion with two belts at once, there are tons of great fights throughout the UFC 205 card. Putting the strawweight title on the line is striking queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk, as she battles fellow Polish national Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Tyron Woodley will defend his welterweight strap against arguably the best striker in the division, Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

Welcome To New York City

The event also features Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero, Frankie Edgar vs. Jeremy Stephens, Nurmagomedov vs. Michael Johnson, Gastelum vs. Cerrone and plenty more. Aiming to break the current gate record set by Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis in 1999 is no easy task, but UFC president Dana White says the card on November 12 has already surpassed that $13.5 million milestone.

Speaking during Friday night’s FOX Sports pregame show for game three of the world series, White confirmed UFC 205 has already broken the MSG gate record. Previous t this event, the all-time UFC gate record was set at UFC 129 in Toronto, with some 56K in attendance for a $13.5 million USD gate.

.@ufc President @danawhite joined the Game 3 pregame show to discuss #UFC205, #CLEvsCHC & of course @PeteRose_14. https://t.co/otCsHJWIqx

— FS1 (@FS1) October 29, 2016

“I wanted to make sure when (the UFC) went to New York we delivered. It’s the biggest baddest card we’ve ever done in the history of the company.”

UFC 205 Fight Card

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez vs. featherweight champ Conor McGregor – for lightweight title
Champ Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson – for welterweight title
Champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz – for strawweight title
Yoel Romero vs. Chris Weidman
Donald Cerrone vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Raquel Pennington vs. Miesha Tate

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1, 8 p.m. ET)

Frankie Edgar vs. Jeremy Stephens
Michael Johnson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Rashad Evans vs. Tim Kennedy
Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Thiago Alves vs. Jim Miller
Tim Boetsch vs. Rafael Natal
Liz Carmouche vs. Katlyn Chookagian

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Five Possible Outcomes From Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez

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2016 has been a crazy year for fans of MMA. As always the UFC had the top shelf offering of all the major promotions, and they did so with a stream of high quality cards. At the zenith of the UFC’s pay-per-view draws this year were Conor McGregor and his rival Nate Diaz. UFC 196 and UFC 202 ranked in the top three biggest cards in the promotion’s history. McGregor vs. Diaz 2 smashed the bar set by UFC 100 with a cool 1.6 million buys. Was it any surprise the UFC put McGregor in against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 200?

Following his string of successful cards, albeit one with a loss, the charismatic Irishman was injected in to the UFC’s New York debut without hesitance. One topic that’s been hotly debated ahead of UFC 205 is the potential effect on the direction of MMA moving forward. The apparent disrespect from the UFC towards Jose Aldo has led to the interim champion retiring, and the decision to put McGregor ahead of the killers row at 155 has alienated many top contenders.

McGregor vs. Alvarez

Looking like it could well be the biggest card of all-time, UFC 205 is pivotal for so many reasons. The fact McGregor will not be stripped of the 145-pound title to compete against Alvarez is another key factor in this debate. The Irish star will look to become the first ever champion to hold two UFC belts in different weight classes at the same time. After the big announcement of the UFC 205 card came the teaser of McGregor’s own ‘left field’ announcement.

UFC president Dana White said Conor had some ‘personal issues,’ and would make a big announcement out of ‘left field’ following UFC 205. This has led to massive speculation, one opinion being that McGregor’s girlfriend has fell pregnant. Another guess is that ‘The Notorious’ will retire, or maybe take a year off. With so much riding on this one historic bout in Madison Square Garden on November 12, check out Five Possible Outcomes From Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez…

McGregor Defeats Alvarez, Retires

This future involves Conor McGregor winning the lightweight title,then calling it quits as a two-weight UFC champion. Complications aplenty would arise from ‘The Notorious’ riding off in to the sunset with two belts on his back. Obviously the issue of who fights for two vacated belts would be complicated enough, but in this outcome there’s the ‘McGregor shadow’ to consider.

‘The Notorious,’ although retired, would forever shadow the current crop of contenders in both divisions. This isn’t to say that both weight classes wouldn’t move on in time, but look at the scenario with Daniel Cormier right now. ‘DC’ may have lost in his bid against Jon Jones, but by no fault of his own was fighting for the vacant strap against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187. ‘Bones’ was stripped of the belt and has been pulled once again from the running due to a failed drug test. All this, and Cormier still receives criticism as champion. Imagine the impact on 155 and 145 if this were to be the outcome at UFC 205.

Continue on page 2…

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Quote: Conor McGregor Will Not Fight For The Belt

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The UFC lightweight division is in focus right now, as the New York debut for the promotion beckons. UFC 205 is set for Madison Square Gardens in NYC, and as usual pulling together the biggest stars for the November 12 pay-per-view has not been a simple process. Originally widely rumoured to feature Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor for the lightweight title, the story took a few twists and turns this week. First off UFC president Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov chimed in.

‘The Eagle’ claimed, with a confirmation from White Himself, that he was next in line for the title shot. Sharing via Twitter that he’d signed the bout agreement for UFC 205 against Alvarez, Nurmagomedov laid waste to weeks of rumours, or at least it appeared that way. Following this stream of head-spinning announcements came another curve ball. Apparently ‘The Notorious’ was still injured from his UFC 202 bout with Nate Diaz. Was the Irish star out of the running for UFC New York?

Who’s It Gonna Be?

After the announcement of McGregor’s injury came reports to the contrary. The featherweight champion was fine and still gunning for a spot at UFC 205. All the while the UFC featherweight division was like the poor relative on the outskirts of town, waiting for an invitation to the big party. Dana White had previously stated McGregor would have to vacate the 145-pound title to fight at any other weight again. Clearly confirmation of anything in that regard is still wanting.

Now we await next Tuesday, where the official line-up of UFC 205 will be confirmed. In the meantime, Ariel Helwani confirmed that neither McGregor or Alvarez have officially been offered a fight against each other. Khabib Nurmagomedov on the other hand, he’s already signed two bout agreements, as per his recent Tweets:

August, September, October and November I was offered to fight, but he never signed agreement. #needtobestrippedof @danawhite

— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) September 23, 2016

What About Conor?

That’s an interesting question, one that ‘The Eagle’ has his own opinion on. As per a report on FOX Sports, Nurmagomedov feels McGregor should fight his way from the bottom:

“I promise I become the lightweight champ, I promise all the lightweight fighters, Conor is not going to fight for the belt. He’s going to have to earn it. From the bottom up.”

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