With only two days left until this weekend’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, the promotion has ramped up well, the promotion for their so-called biggest event of all-time. As the MMA world awaits the anticipated lightweight title showdown between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor, UFC 205’s top
With only two days left until this weekend’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, the promotion has ramped up well, the promotion for their so-called biggest event of all-time.
As the MMA world awaits the anticipated lightweight title showdown between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor, UFC 205’s top fighters will get together for a pre-fight press conference starting at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT.
Let’s hope there aren’t any stray water bottles nearby. Watch all of the action unfold right here:
It was just a few years ago Conor McGregor stood in the middle of the octagon a virtual nobody and said, “We didn’t come to take part, we came to take over.” And take over he has. Now just days away from UFC 205, McGregor is on the verge of making history as the UFC’s
It was just a few years ago Conor McGregor stood in the middle of the octagon a virtual nobody and said, “We didn’t come to take part, we came to take over.”
And take over he has. Now just days away from UFC 205, McGregor is on the verge of making history as the UFC’s first two-division champion.
McGregor (20-3), the UFC’s featherweight champion, is set to headline the biggest PPV in UFC history and on the biggest stage in sports, Madison Square Garden, against lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (28-4). McGregor knows full well a victory over Alvarez would solidify his legacy as one of the sport’s greats.
“Saturday night I’ll become immortal,” McGregor said in a video produced by MMA Junkie of the UFC 205 open workout. “I get the second belt, raise it up, never been done before. It means absolutely everything to me. It’s my life’s work. I’m ready to come in here prepared, ready to stop Eddie in devastating fashion.”
McGregor has never been one to shy away from calling his shot and this time is no different. “Mystic Mac” has stated on numerous occasions that he would KO Alvarez inside the first round. He believes Alvarez will be unable to figure him out, promising fans are “in for a treat”:
“I feel I can do it in many ways. I can paint many pictures inside that octagon,” McGregor said. ” I can come out with many different styles. All you have to do is look at my previous fights, every fight is different, every shot is different, every approach is different, that’s why they can’t figure me out. So, believe me you’re in for a treat.”
McGregor is well aware of the magnitude of this event and according to him there was no way he was going to miss it.
“It means the world to me. It’s why I kept pushing on it. I have had a crazy busy year. I have been working very hard for you fans,” McGregor said. “I couldn’t miss this event, no way. I built this event.”
With last night’s UFC Fight Night 98 in the books from Mexico, the MMA world’s focus will shift to this weekend’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The groundbreaking card, which is the first-ever UFC event from New York City after mixed martial arts was finally legalized in
With last night’s UFC Fight Night 98 in the books from Mexico, the MMA world’s focus will shift to this weekend’s (Sat., November 12, 2016) UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The groundbreaking card, which is the first-ever UFC event from New York City after mixed martial arts was finally legalized in the state earlier this year, is absolutely packed full of high-profile bouts, yet most fans will be fully fixated on the Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez lightweight title main event.
‘Notorious’ will attempt to make history as the UFC’s first-ever simultaneous two weight class champion as he fights, incredibly enough, in his third division since winning the featherweight title in a 13-second finish of Jose Aldo not quite 11 months ago. The fight is definitely one of the biggest in MMA history, and some would argue it simply is the biggest of all time.
Regardless, history is going to be made next Saturday night, regardless of whether or not McGregor wins the lightweight title. To begin getting prepared for the most anticipated event of 2016, watch the FOX Sports 1 UFC broadcast team preview UFC 205 right here:
The biggest MMA event of the year -and some would say of all time – is only days away, with the UFC’s long-awaited debut in New York City is set for Madison Square Garden next Saturday night. The main event of course features featherweight champion Conor McGregor and his quest to make history as the first-ever
The biggest MMA event of the year -and some would say of all time – is only days away, with the UFC’s long-awaited debut in New York City is set for Madison Square Garden next Saturday night.
The main event of course features featherweight champion Conor McGregor and his quest to make history as the first-ever simultaneous two-weight champion in UFC, when he takes on 155-pound boss Eddie Alvarez in his third fight outside of his usual weight class in 2016.
Per the usual for any McGregor event, the trash talk has already gotten started, and it’s set to ramp up to an even higher level at today’s UFC 205 conference call featuring both of the champions. Listen to what should be an entertaining discussion starting at 5 p.m ET right here:
The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke. That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a
The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke.
That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a packed lightweight fray for his third consecutive fight outside of his division – where the belt sits collecting dust since last December – has caused a drawn-out uproar amongst fans and fighters alike ever since it was booked.
One lightweight who shares that sentiment is Michael Chiesa, who currently sits on the sidelines awaiting his recovery from the back injury that forced him out of a potentially great main event against Tony Ferguson this summer.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, ‘Maverick’ had some harsh criticism for ‘Notorious’ and his title shot, believing him to be in over his head as an easy out at 155:
I think it’s bullshit. I feel bad for the guys that have been leaped-frog by him. I do understand that there is an entertainment aspect to the sport and to this promotion, but I think you have to maintain the sport before you let a guy make moves like that. Do I like him being in my weight class? Yeah, because it’s a big money fight and I match up really well against him. I mean, I’d be one body-lock away from subbing him.
“Other than that, it doesn’t really… you know, I just feel bad for the Tony Fergusons, and the Nurmagomedovs, and these guys that have racked up these huge win streaks and they’re getting leaped-frogged by a dude, who really, I mean, we’ll find out if he has any business in our division on November 12, but until then, I don’t think he’s in the right spot. He needs to go back and do what’s right. He’s got Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis in his own weight class to deal with. So I hope Eddie puts him back down to 145, but if not welcome to your new home, welcome to the deep waters.
Chiesa’s far from the first fighter to question McGregor’s ground game, but it’s also difficult to question the Irish champ at least deserving a spot in the stacked 155-pound division, as he just beat top-ranked veteran Nate Diaz in a knockdown barnburner at August’s UFC 202. We’ll soon find out if he can beat the current best lightweight onthe planet, and if he does, a decision will have to be made about which title McGregor will defend next.
He’s already beaten Holloway, and Pettis, despite being an enticing style match-up with McGregor, has only won one fight at 145 pounds after dropping three straight at lightweight. That would mean bouts with Ferguson and/or Nurmagomedov could be on the horizon for ‘Notorious,’ and those would obviously be huge fights that were tough to pick.
With McGregor teasing some significant time off after UFC 205, we may unfortunately never get to see him take on the most dangerous 155-pound talent in the world.
Would he falter like Chiesa thinks he would, or would he rise to the occasion and silence his doubting peers?
After 11 months (to the day) away from the Octagon following her second-round knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193, the promotion announced this week that former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will return to the Octagon against Amanda Nunes in the main event of December 30’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas. ‘Rowdy’s’
After 11 months (to the day) away from the Octagon following her second-round knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193, the promotion announced this week that former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will return to the Octagon against Amanda Nunes in the main event of December 30’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas.
‘Rowdy’s’ return is no doubt the most anticipated in the 23-year history of the UFC, and women’s MMA has been in a state of disarray in her absence. To the surprise of most, Holm has dropped two fights in a row, the first to Miesha Tate in a shocking come-from-behind submission defeat at March 5’s UFC 196. Tate then went on to lose the belt in a heavily one-sided submission loss to Nunes, marking the third woman to hold the women’s bantamweight title since Rousey ruled with six straight finishes.
Those times are long gone in the ever-evolving world of MMA, however, and many are doubting Rousey can return to the effortless domination that propelled her to the enviable position as MMA’s most recognized persona. The backlash Rousey faced in the days and months after her loss to Holm was unprecedented, and fostered a sort of cycle that only heaped more outrage on her when she forced herself into a self-imposed exile away from the watchful eye of the media.
Credit: Matt Roberts for USA TODAY Sports
While an easy and impressive Rousey win seemed like little more than a foregone conclusion less than a year ago, MMA fans now pick the bout with a much more measured degree of caution, especially against a champion with momentum like Nunes. Many of them may want Rousey to fail yet again, but the UFC’s current biggest star – featherweight champion Conor McGregor – isn’t among that group of haters.
His opinion on all topics in MMA now the most desired stance in the fight game, “The Notorious” recently told Sports Illustrated there is only one thing Rousey can do, and that’s silence her doubters by winning her long-held title back:
“I’d tell her to go shut them all up now,” McGregor told SI by phone. “Shut them all up. Go and stake your claim again.”
“I wish Ronda nothing but the best, it’s good to see her back,” he continued. “Some people take defeat and losses a certain way. You see how some fighters take losses. I’m happy she is ready to go again and I wish her well.
“Go and shut these people up now. Go and get what you began back. I’m excited to see how it unfolds.”
Encouraging words from McGregor, who obviously knows a thing or two about returning from a devastating loss as a massive favorite after Nate Diaz submitted him in the second-round of their main event at UFC 196.
Unlike Rousey, the Irish stalwart chose to immediately face his arch rival again, scoring a close majority decision win at August 20’s UFC 202 to gain his vengeance.
Credit: Joshua Dahl for USA TODAY Sports
Rousey’s return will be bigger than huge, as she’s the only name in MMA who can stake a valid claim at McGregor’s spot as the biggest star in the fight game. It’s no small task, despite the fact UFC President Dana White believes Rousey is still a bigger draw than McGregor. If the returning judoka can get past Nunes in her comeback, a super fight with Cris “Cyborg” Justino potentially awaits, a fight that White believes would be the ‘biggest UFC pay-per-view of all time.’
But “Notorious” is predicting that result for his awaited lightweight title bout with Eddie Alvarez in the main event of November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York, a monumental fight he believes will secure in excess of two million buys.
Do you agree that Rousey still has the drawing power to topple McGregor? Will she silence her detractors as the Irish champion has urged?
