Conor McGregor Unhappy With Promotion Of UFC 197: Those Posters Are Garbage

UFC 197, which is slated for March 5, 2016 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will play host to arguably one of the biggest fights in not only promotional history, but sport history as well. Reigning featherweight champion and Irish superstar the “Notorious” Conor McGregor will be moving up to challenge

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UFC 197, which is slated for March 5, 2016 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will play host to arguably one of the biggest fights in not only promotional history, but sport history as well.

Reigning featherweight champion and Irish superstar the “Notorious” Conor McGregor will be moving up to challenge lightweight boss Rafael dos Anjos for the 155-pound title.

Although McGregor’s title won’t be on the line, this is a bout between champions, and a sure super fight to say the least. According to the “Notorious” one, however, the fight isn’t being promoted that way, and the Irishman isn’t too happy about it.

Recently speaking at the UFC 197 press conference which was held in Las Vegas earlier this week, McGregor wondered why he wasn’t holding his belt in the event’s promotional posters, even going as far as to call the work “garbage”:

“This is a super fight. I look upon that poster, I see myself tucked in the back there. That’s what I just noticed, where is my damn belt? Where are all these historic images? These are posters that will be looked back on long after it’s all said and done and you’ve got to look back on that absolute garbage. So you know, I think I might have to go into that department because they must be getting comfortable in that poster department. They wanna get their act together and start doing their damn job. [Dos Anjos] fought on free TV. He’s never brought a dime to the company, he’s never made a dime yet there he is sitting on the front of my poster.”

When asked what the reasoning behind this was, UFC President Dana White simply stated that it was because McGregor wasn’t defending his title.

This isn’t the first time two champions have gone head to head in the Octagon, as former lightweight champion BJ Penn took on former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre back at UFC 94 for St-Pierre’s then held 170-pound strap.

Oddly enough, Penn’s 155-pound title was in the event’s posters, with “The Prodigy” carrying it around leading it up the bout as well. It was made clear that UFC 94’s main event was a bout between two champions making this current scenario quite odd, especially given McGregor’s star power.

What do you make of the situation?

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Report: Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Johnson Slated For UFC 197

UFC 197 is set to go down live on pay per view (PPV) March 5, 2016 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it appears as if the UFC is stacking the deck. Headlined by a super fight between Irish superstar and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and defending lightweight boss Rafael

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UFC 197 is set to go down live on pay per view (PPV) March 5, 2016 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it appears as if the UFC is stacking the deck.

Headlined by a super fight between Irish superstar and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and defending lightweight boss Rafael dos Anjos, the card will also play host to the first defense of Holly Holm’s newly captured bantamweight title as she takes on former Strikeforce queen Miesha Tate.

The main attraction won’t be the only pivotal lightweight bout taking place on the card, however, as Brian Martin of the Los Angeles Daily News has reported that surging contender and No. 5-ranked Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson will meet No. 7-ranked Michael Johnson:

Ferguson has put together a super impressive seven fight win streak which includes five finishes. Coming off of an impressive submission victory over lethal striker Edson Barboza, “El Cucuy” will look to continue his journey towards a title shot.

Johnson on the other hand, was riding a four fight win streak of his own, but has recently hit some tough times. Dropping an extremely controversial split-decision loss to Beniel Dariush last August, “The Menace” was most recently seen dropping a more one sided decision loss to the returning Nate Diaz last month.

He will look to get back to his winning ways and look to take out one of the division’s hottest talents.

These two men have actually met once before as well, with Johnson scoring a unanimous decision victory back in 2012.

UFC 197 is shaping up to be one of the year’s most exciting cards. Stay tuned to LowKickMMA for all news surrounding the event as it nears closer.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Eyes Bouts With Alvarez, Ferguson

The UFC lightweight division has been taken by storm as featherweight champion Conor McGregor will be moving up to meet 155-pound boss Rafael dos Anjos at March 5’s UFC 197 from Las Vegas, Nevada. Top contenders Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and Eddie Alvarez also just recently did battle in a pivotal fight at last Sunday’s (January

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The UFC lightweight division has been taken by storm as featherweight champion Conor McGregor will be moving up to meet 155-pound boss Rafael dos Anjos at March 5’s UFC 197 from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top contenders Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and Eddie Alvarez also just recently did battle in a pivotal fight at last Sunday’s (January 17, 2016) UFC Fight Night 81.

In the midst of all of this madness, however, we cannot forget about undefeated top contender Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov.

The 22-0 Dagestani-born wrestler has been on the sidelines since April 2014 dealing with numerous injuries, but remains 6-0 inside of the Octagon, and is coming off of a win over dos Anjos.

Aiming to return to action in the coming months, Nurmagomedov recently texted UFC president Dana White, asking for a bout with Alvarez, who edged out a split-decision victory over Pettis last weekend.

Aside from a bout with “The Silent Assassin”, “The Eagle” would also be open to fighting surging No. 5-ranked Tony Ferguson (Via MMAMania):

“Yes, this is true. I watch the fight, Eddie Alvarez vs. Pettis, and I sent a message to (Dana White) that I want to fight this guy because this guy fought two big names, Gilbert Melendez and Pettis. He’s No. 1 contender, very close to me and a contender in lightweight division. I want Alvarez or Tony Ferguson. No problem if UFC gives me Tony or Alvarez because this is two contenders. I am a contender and I want to take one of these guys and after this fight, fight for the belt.”

Arguably already deserving of a title shot, who would you like to see Nurmagomedov square off with upon his hopeful return to the lightweight division?

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Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller Set For UFC 197

The UFC confirmed earlier today (January 20, 2016) that a pivotal clash between lightweight veterans will headline the Fight Pass preliminary portion of March 5’s blockbuster UFC 197 from Las Vegas, Nevada. Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez will square off with one of the best submission artists in the business in the crafty Jim Miller: BREAKING:

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The UFC confirmed earlier today (January 20, 2016) that a pivotal clash between lightweight veterans will headline the Fight Pass preliminary portion of March 5’s blockbuster UFC 197 from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez will square off with one of the best submission artists in the business in the crafty Jim Miller:

The former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 1 winner Sanchez has fallen on some tough times as of late, losing three out of his last four bouts. The 34-year-old is coming off of a decision loss to Ricardo Lamas last November, and will look to bounce back in his return to 155-pounds against Miller.

The New Jersey native Miller has also lost three out of his last four bouts, most recently tapping out to Michael Chiesa last month. With 13 submission wins to his name, however, Miller remains a threat to finish a fight at all times.

Both fighters will desperately be looking for a win, and each should come hungry to throw down.

UFC 197 will be headlined by a massive super fight between defending lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and outspoken featherweight king Conor McGregor.

Newly minted women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm will also defend her title for the very first time in the co-main event against former Strikeforce title holder Miesha Tate.

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Rafael dos Anjos Vows To Brutally Punish Conor McGregor At UFC 197

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos came face to face at today’s (January 20, 2016) UFC 197 press conference ahead of their March 5 super fight for the Brazilian’s title, and as expected, things got heated very quickly. The “Notorious” one is attempting to do something no other fighter

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UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos came face to face at today’s (January 20, 2016) UFC 197 press conference ahead of their March 5 super fight for the Brazilian’s title, and as expected, things got heated very quickly.

The “Notorious” one is attempting to do something no other fighter in UFC history has done before: simultaneously hold two titles at one time. Coming off of a sensational 13 second knockout over former longtime 145-pound boss Jose Aldo, the Irishman, confident in prediction as always, is eyeing yet another quick finish.

The Brazilian champion on the other hand, has different plans, detailing that he will drag McGregor into deep waters, before punishing him for his relentless trash talk:

“I’m gonna have a chance to finish this fight in the first round,” said dos Anjos. “But I want to punish him all the way until the third, until the fourth. I’m gonna make him bleed. He’s gonna pay for everything he’s talking about everybody. For all the disrespect this guy has.”

As far as the trash talk goes, McGregor has repeatedly called dos Anjos a traitor to his native Brazil, something that just doesn’t make sense to the lightweight king:

“For me, it doesn’t make any sense,” said Dos Anjos. “The whole world has American dreams. This country has people from all parts of the world. We have Irish who live here, we have Brazilians. I think these people don’t deserve to be called traitors.”

For dos Anjos, it’s not about the talk, as he’s simply focused on sending McGregor plummeting back down to featherweight:

“I’m not a trash talker,” said Dos Anjos. “I respect my opponents. I don’t trash talk, I just talk the truth. On March 5, I’m gonna send this guy home sad and I’m gonna keep my belt.”

Just under a month away from fight night, March 5, 2016 promises to be a historic night for the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Which champion will walk away victorious?

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Coach: Aldo Wasn’t Allowed To Fight For Lightweight Title Like McGregor

The Future of former long-time featherweight champion Jose Aldo is currently unclear at the moment. Heading into his highly anticipated showdown with Irish star the “Notorious” Conor McGregor at December 12’s UFC 194, “Scarface” had been the only featherweight champion in promotional history, looking to make the eighth consecutive defense of his strap. In emphatic

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The Future of former long-time featherweight champion Jose Aldo is currently unclear at the moment.

Heading into his highly anticipated showdown with Irish star the “Notorious” Conor McGregor at December 12’s UFC 194, “Scarface” had been the only featherweight champion in promotional history, looking to make the eighth consecutive defense of his strap.

In emphatic fashion, Aldo fell from his throne in just 13 seconds due to a vicious McGregor left hand.

Obviously wanting a rematch, Aldo’s camp isn’t happy with the fact that the “Notorious” one will be jumping up a weight class to challenge 155-pound king Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of March 5’s UFC 197.

McGregor will look to become the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two titles. According to Aldo’s long-time head coach Andre Pederneiras, “Scarface” asked to do the same for nearly four years, but was never given the treatment that the UFC’s golden boy has received:

“Concerning Aldo, we are just waiting to see what the future holds right now since McGregor has been allowed to keep the 145 title while being able to fight or the 155 title,” Pederneiras told Sherdog. “That is something that hasn’t happened before. I spent four years asking the UFC the same thing, to allow Aldo to keep his featherweight belt while going up and contesting at lightweight but it was never allowed. Now we see Conor get the OK on his first request.”

Given the fact that the Irish knockout artist is one of the biggest stars in UFC history, the move makes sense from a business stand point, but it’s also understandable why Aldo’s camp may not be too happy.

With the current state of the 145-pound division, what should be next for “Scarface”?

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