In less than one week, the fastest-rising star in mixed martial arts today will attempt to earn a long-awaited UFC featherweight title shot.
But in order to cash in on a golden opportunity, Conor McGregor mustn’t overlook divisional mainstay Denni…
In less than one week, the fastest-rising star in mixed martial arts today will attempt to earn a long-awaited UFC featherweight title shot.
But in order to cash in on a golden opportunity, ConorMcGregor mustn’t overlook divisional mainstay Dennis Siver when the two lock horns this Sunday at UFC Fight Night 59 in Boston.
With powerful kickboxing and formidable grappling skills, Siver is arguably McGregor‘s toughest task to date.
It will be up to the young Irish sensation to attack with diligence and forbid his German opposition from finding an early groove.
Here is a full head-to-toe breakdown for one of the best free fights of 2015.
Here’s a bonus clip from our conversation, about the UFC’s reported plan to award Conor McGregor a title shot against Jose Aldo if he can get past Dennis Siver later this month at UFC Fight Night 59. Is this the right move by the UFC? And will McGregor blow through Siver as quickly as he claims? The answers await you in the video above. Thanks for watching, and follow TYT Sports on twitter if you like sports-things.
Here’s a bonus clip from our conversation, about the UFC’s reported plan to award Conor McGregor a title shot against Jose Aldo if he can get past Dennis Siver later this month at UFC Fight Night 59. Is this the right move by the UFC? And will McGregor blow through Siver as quickly as he claims? The answers await you in the video above. Thanks for watching, and follow TYT Sports on twitter if you like sports-things.
While many of the UFC stars in attendance at yesterday’s The Time Is Now press conference treated the event as one big lovefest, Irish featherweight star Conor McGregor was in no mood to play nice. Shortly after his public face-off with upcoming opponent Dennis Siver, he sent the unfortunate tweet you see above, which he deleted afterwards.
Though Siver is of German descent, he was actually born and raised in Russia, giving him a unique mix of Axis and Allied heritage. (I’m sure he’s very conflicted about his place in history.) Still, referring to a German man as a “Nazi” just because he’s German…not cool, Conor. They’re still really sensitive about that sort of thing over there.
Likely motivated by an angry phone call from the UFC brass, Conor then sent out this semi-apology: “Ich bin ein sowwy. Now about them feet…”
Props to Conor McGregor for staying on message during his forced retraction. But seriously dude — what is it with you and feet?
While many of the UFC stars in attendance at yesterday’s The Time Is Now press conference treated the event as one big lovefest, Irish featherweight star Conor McGregor was in no mood to play nice. Shortly after his public face-off with upcoming opponent Dennis Siver, he sent the unfortunate tweet you see above, which he deleted afterwards.
Though Siver is of German descent, he was actually born and raised in Russia, giving him a unique mix of Axis and Allied heritage. (I’m sure he’s very conflicted about his place in history.) Still, referring to a German man as a “Nazi” just because he’s German…not cool, Conor. They’re still really sensitive about that sort of thing over there.
Likely motivated by an angry phone call from the UFC brass, Conor then sent out this semi-apology: “Ich bin ein sowwy. Now about them feet…”
Props to Conor McGregor for staying on message during his forced retraction. But seriously dude — what is it with you and feet?
Rather than ignore his silver-tongued opponent, Dennis Siver has chosen to engage in a war of words with Conor McGregor in anticipation of their showdown at UFC Fight Night 59 in January in Boston.
Perhaps Siver, the UFC’s eighth-ranked featherweight, …
Rather than ignore his silver-tongued opponent, Dennis Siver has chosen to engage in a war of words with ConorMcGregor in anticipation of their showdown at UFC Fight Night 59 in January in Boston.
Perhaps Siver, the UFC’s eighth-ranked featherweight, has allowed fifth-ranked McGregor to get under his skin. Or maybe Siver just sees the need to hype their main event fight, one that many pundits have already counted him out of.
Either way, Siver doesn’t mind the notion that some experts consider him an amateur compared to McGregor in the realm of trash-talking, or fighting, for that matter.
After all, the Russian-born German citizen continues to play the Irishman’s games.
In an interview over the weekend with German-based MMA outlet Ground and Pound, Siver was asked if McGregor‘s taunts have served as extra motivation in his effort to try to pull off an upset.
I try to handle it in a professional manner. I’m trying to not rise to provocation. Of course, it motivates me. When he insults me, I want vengeance and I will do that in the fight. I will punish him for it. But he won’t be able to upset me. It’s probably his goal to break people mentally. He can’t do this to me. I’m not so sensitive in that matter. I prepare myself for the fight and will do my thing.
This doesn’t mark the first instance in which Siver fired back at McGregor on a public stage. In mid-October, Siver offered a surprisingly witty response to a McGregor insult.
Here’s a link to McGregor‘s initial statement(NSFW language) on Oct. 14 and a look at Siver‘s response a day later.
McGregor scored his 12th straight win by KO’ing sixth-ranked Dustin Poirier in the first round at UFC 178 in September. During his winning streak, McGregor has won 10 times by form of KO and once by submission.
Siver, who made his UFC debut in 2007, has only tasted defeat twice in his past 10 bouts.
Siver defeated Charles Rosa by unanimous decision in his last bout at UFC Fight Night 53 in October. Siver and Rosa each pocketed $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonuses for their efforts.
Although he’s only fought five times as a featherweight, Siver has competed 18 times in the Octagon. In the UFC’s stable of featherweights, only Jeremy Stephens (19 fights) and Clay Guida (20) have more fights in the promotion than Siver.
Last week, it was announced brash UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor will take on Russian/German kickboxer Dennis Siver in front of a pro-Irish crowd Jan. 18 in Boston. McGregor vs. Siver will be an emotionally charged contest, with the pa…
Last week, it was announced brash UFC featherweight contender ConorMcGregor will take on Russian/German kickboxer Dennis Siver in front of a pro-Irish crowd Jan. 18 in Boston. McGregor vs. Siver will be an emotionally charged contest, with the pair exchanging barbs over social media, but is it the right matchup?
McGregor has managed to back up his trash talk in his undefeated UFC career thus far with one-sided wins over Diego Brandao, and most recently Dustin Poirier. The outspoken Irishmen has his sights set on another opponent, even if it means he’s not fighting for a belt. That opponent, Siver, a 35-year-old veteran, is ranked 10th in the featherweight division and defeated Charles Rosa earlier this month.
Siver, while more than a credible opponent, has lost some traction as of late. He’s gone 1-1-[1] in his last three fights and was suspended for the majority of this year for testing positive for HCG. Questions as to whether he deserves to headline a fight card so soon have been asked and subsequently answered by Dublin’s own.
“I’m going to rip his head off. I’m going to punish him for it,” McGregortold reporters in Brazil last Friday. “It is what it is. When you look down the roster, there’s a lot of people matched up. Plus, he spoke out of turn. He should’ve kept his mouth shut.”
The Russian-born Siver was once considered a threat to the 155- and 145-pound crowns but was halted at the gates by Donald Cerrone and resurgent Cub Swanson, respectively. He is a large featherweight and a game opponent who can unleash a barrage of bone-crushing kicks and powerful hooks at any moment. Siver also possesses solid jiu-jitsu and wrestling skills.
The former contender may not have made the smartest move by jawing with the upstart McGregor, who sits at No. 5 in the featherweight rankings. The 26-year-old has amassed 16 wins in mixed martial arts after he began his career in 2008.
McGregor‘s fighting style is complementary to the venom that comes forth from his mouth. With an in-your-face, always-pushing-forward type of game plan, he gives opponents no time to rest; it’s something you want to do if you’re going to beat Jose Aldo.
McGregor is on the fast track to a title shot and he has no plans on waiting; he willingly accepted this fight. A win over a game veteran will do little to improve his standing but a loss, which is always possible, would be a severely disappointing blow to his title aspirations.
McGregor will undoubtedly be a heavy favorite going into this fight and is equipped with the tools to beat Siver. His stand-up skills are extraordinary and precise, landing 4.6 strikes per minute. The Dublin native fires off jabs and straight punches as fast as a Bugatti Veyron peels off the lot. McGregor effortlessly inflicts the body with crippling hooks and even throws in a spinning back kick or elbow. His ground game hasn’t been on display partly because his fights end so early.
While he has fought four times in the UFC, three of those fights have ended via first-round TKO. In his victory over Max Holloway, McGregor showed fight fans the other side of his offensive repertoire, taking down the youngster four times and making several passes before eventually achieving the mount.
McGregor insists he doesn’t look past opponents, but he has to be giddy about this matchup. Siver has been known to wilt under pressure and has been blitzed before by men like Swanson and Melvin Guillard. Siver‘s best opportunity to win may come by taking the fight to the ground or employing some dirty boxing and grinding McGregor against the cage. That is if he can catch the explosive, and super athletic, Irishman.
As far as the MMA world knows, McGregor may have no weaknesses. We’ve only seen him go the distance once in his UFC career. He hasn’t truly been tested yet, but if the bout with Poirier is any indication, it could be a reflection of unparalleled greatness.
A matchup with Siver is the only feasible opponent at 145-pounds for McGregor with names like Swanson, Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Lamas and Dennis Bermudez already booked. A win over Siver, for McGregor, means he combats complacency and collects a paycheck, all the while solidifying his position in the top five of the division.
Meanwhile, if Siver were to win, it might be comparable to Matt Serra derailing GSP’s ascension to the pound-for-pound forefront back in 2007. Alright, maybe not quite that bad, but it would hurt McGregor and UFC brass tremendously.
If McGregor bests Siver in January, UFC President Dana Whitethinks Aldo will meet him sometime next summer, which would mean a potential layoff of six to eight months. That’s much more manageable than waiting 10-12.
Aldo is an interesting beast to figure out because he doesn’t have many weaknesses other than his cardio. The 28-year-old cuts a lot of weight but has cleaned up the issue. His chin can handle the best’s toughest shots, and his takedowndefense rivals that of the departed Georges St-Pierre’s. McGregor poses no threat Aldo hasn’t seen before, and we’ve never seen a more emotional Aldo up until this second bout with Chad Mendes.
McGregor can say he’s going to beat the champ all he wants, but there’s a big difference between saying and doing.
The UFC’s new golden child is returning, and he’s not returning for the gold.
According to a Thursday report from Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.com, Conor McGregor—the fast-rising featherweight who has quickly captured the attention of mixed marti…
The UFC’s new golden child is returning, and he’s not returning for the gold.
According to a Thursday report from Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.com, ConorMcGregor—the fast-rising featherweight who has quickly captured the attention of mixed martial arts fans and UFC brass—will return to the Octagon in January for a bout against Dennis Siver.
The fight will headline an as-yet-unannounced event from Boston that takes place January 18. It will air on Fox Sports 1 immediately after the NFC Championship Game.
I’ve repeatedly stated my belief that McGregorshould face the winner of Saturday’s featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. I’ve heard all the arguments against it: McGregor hasn’t faced a wrestler. He has just four fights in the UFC. He hasn’t faced enough top-ranked competition.
I’ve heard all those arguments, and I understand them. There is validity to them. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel like it’s probably smarter to act when there’s a buzz. With apologies to B.J. Penn—whose ill-fated, rigid trip to featherweight left many scratching their heads—there has never been a big star at 145 pounds or below. Frankie Edgar is a star of some magnitude. Urijah Faber is still a star and always will be.
But there has never been a concrete and bankable superstar in the lower weight classes. Of course, the UFC has very few of those in any weight class these days, which is why we hear about the potential return of Brock Lesnar every six months or so. And that’s why the handling of McGregor is so important: because there is a chance he will be one of the biggest stars in the UFC in a very short period of time.
And that’s why I wanted to see McGregor face the winner of Aldo-Mendes. You have to strike when the iron is hot, and McGregor is hot. Putting him in a situation where he could lose a fight and derail his run to the top doesn’t make sense.
Fortunately for McGregor, this is a sublime piece of matchmaking by the UFC. Much like Dustin Poirier, Siver‘s style is tailor-made for McGregor to shine. Siver is a dangerous striker, but he’s slower than McGregor and is far less technical. McGregor‘s boxing game is disciplined, and his footwork and head movement are on a different level than Siver.
In short, it’s a great chance for McGregor to shine. There’s always the chance Siver could land one of his devastating spinning back kicks. But McGregor‘s understanding and usage of space makes that unlikely at best.
There’s also the fact that the fight is scheduled to take place on Fox Sports 1 after the NFC Championship Game. That means McGregor will get maximum exposure. Would it be better if the fight aired on Fox itself? Of course. But I suspect we’ll see at least a few McGregor-centric commercials for the fight during the NFC Championship Game, and that should translate into a large audience for McGregor vs. Siver.
And then there’s the matchup itself. Many will complain that Siver is not a wrestler and that McGregor is being held by the hand and ushered safely through the division. And those folks have a point, because McGregor is in almost no danger of being taken down by Siver, just as he’s rarely been in danger of being taken down in his UFC career.
But here’s the thing: Eventually, McGregor will have to face a wrestler. If he keeps winning, he’ll fight for the championship. And if he wins the championship, he’ll have to defend it against the best contenders in the division, which means facing Mendes and Dennis Bermudez and others with plenty of wrestling skill. His takedown defense will eventually be tested.
The UFC has created plenty of intriguing matchups over the past few years. But what the promotion hasn’t done, for the most part, is create new stars. Our inner sports fan may not like it, but stars are the engine of mixed martial arts. We can rant about deserving contenders and undeserving title challengers until we are blue in the face.
But the point of promoting is creating fights that people want to see and fights that people will pay to see.
I’d rather see McGregor fight for the title in his next bout. I think the timing is right. But if Fox is willing to promote McGregor vs. Siver during the NFC Championship, and a large audience tunes in to watch, he’ll have the platform to cement himself as one of the UFC’s biggest stars.
All he’ll have to do at that point is deliver. If he does, he’ll make the UFC brass look like geniuses, and he’ll make them a lot of money in the process.
Rather than ignore his silver-tongued opponent, Dennis