Official Conor McGregor thread (part 2). **Read warning in 1st post**

Billy86

wonderfullife wrote: »

Jose has proved he's gracious in victory and a jackas$ in defeat. The stuff he has come out with since his loss is insane. If he took the loss on the chin, kept his head down, i think a lot more would be on his side when it comes to wanting to see the rematch.

Example: Chad Mendes.

Everyone I know that doesn't watch UFC apart from McGregor and so had never heard of Mendes before their fight, absolutely loves the guy because of how he handled himself.

ASOT

wonderfullife wrote: »

I could be proven very wrong tomorrow but i have a feeling there's something seriously wrong with Pettis. Probably mentally. His last fight he looked scared.

29 isn't old, and he hasn't been in too many wars, but it's becoming increasingly possible that he is past his athletic peak.

It could just be that he couldn't handle the pressure of being champion. He was on the side of Cereal boxes and possibly in the top 3 or 4 most famous fighters only 15 months ago. And has gone 0-3 since then.

This is make-or-break for him i feel. A loss to Oliveira and going 0-4 should raise serious early retirement questions.

As for Aldo, more people would be sympathetic to his situation if he carried himself like a champion. Conor has proved in the past year that he genuinely does win and lose like a champion.

Jose has proved he's gracious in victory and a jackas$ in defeat. The stuff he has come out with since his loss is insane. If he took the loss on the chin, kept his head down, i think a lot more would be on his side when it comes to wanting to see the rematch.

Agree with the Pettis thing completely, even though I taught he best Eddie but still he's been in terrible form, either something's wrong mentally or he's off the supplements that's how big his drop off in form has made it look. I think Oliveira will beat him tomorrow tbh then where does he go ?

mdwexford

Deleted User wrote: »

I agree 100% Aldo is a fuarking legend. I am a massive Conor fan, he is my favourite fighter for sure but you are not a champion until you defend your belt, also to not give a legend like Aldo is ridiculous.

Seen this line so much since Conor won the belt and it drives me nuts.

It's the greatest made up crap I've ever heard.
You are a champion as soon as you win the belt, tournament, championship etc.

wonderfullife

Billy86 wrote: »

Example: Chad Mendes.

Everyone I know that doesn't watch UFC apart from McGregor and so had never heard of Mendes before their fight, absolutely loves the guy because of how he handled himself.

Exactly. Chad was grateful and gracious after his defeat. He had plenty of reasons to be grateful too - he went from $48,000 to $500,000 just to show up and with PPV points was estimated to have made $2 million. If you go from $48 grand to $2 million on 2 weeks notice, you've good reasons to be humble.

He thanked Conor, thanked the Irish fans and basically took it on the chin.

ASOT wrote: »

Agree with the Pettis thing completely, even though I taught he best Eddie but still he's been in terrible form, either something's wrong mentally or he's off the supplements that's how big his drop off in form has made it look. I think Oliveira will beat him tomorrow tbh then where does he go ?

Bellator i presume. But even then he's not gonna get much of an improved deal with Bellator coming off 0-4 stretch. He's on $80,000/$80,000 at the moment. I can't see Bellator offering him much more than that, with his current decline. He might retain enough of a reputation to get a slight pay increase but the smart money would be on him getting at best the same deal.

Benson Henderson was at coming in on the back of 2 wins. Rory Mac is on the back of 2 defeats but one of those was a war with Robbie Lawler and the other a decision to Wonderboy.

It'd be very tough to see Bellator breaking the bank for Pettis.

His career is in the balance. I believe he has a couple more fights on his contract after this, but if he's not in last chance saloon now, he will be if he loses this fight.

mdwexford wrote: »

Seen this line so much since Conor won the belt and it drives me nuts.

It's the greatest made up crap I've ever heard.
You are a champion as soon as you win the belt, tournament, championship etc.

I fully agree with this.

However, the one thing i will say - Conor has never defended a belt. He has won 3 belts so far, 2 Cage Warriors and 1 UFC.

At some stage he has to defend a belt.

It is harder to defend a belt than to win it - not physically, just mentally. It's much tougher to motivate yourself when you're top of the mountain looking down, than it is when you're climbing the mountain.

I feel the 155 division will be easier motivation should he have that belt, because you've got the likes of Cowboy and Nate immediately on that list, and the like of Khabib or Ferguson.

All 4 of those named would give challenges and entertaining build up.

Part of the reason i'm not pushed about an Aldo defence is the build up will be mind numbing.

Aldo: You got lucky with that punch.

Conor: I bounced your head off the canvas.

Aldo: Nate choked you out, and he's only top 5 in LW.

Conor: I bounced your head off the canvas.

Aldo: I beat Frankie twice, you ducked him for years.

Conor: I bounced your head off the canvas.

Aldo: You didn't even win the Nate rematch.

Conor: I bounced your head off the canvas.

Aldo: I'm going to destroy you in clinical fashion.

Conor: I bounced your head off the canvas.


Zzzzz.

c montgomery

There's a good chance Conor knows he's fighting Aldo next but is playing mind games with Aldo.

Imagine how pi$sed Aldo must be listening to the post fight presser and Conor saying he might not even fight in the UFC next but even if he does Aldo is close to bottom of his list!! Aldo must be raging.

I honestly think its all to wind up Aldo, get him emotional on fight night like last time, wait for that one chance and ...... lights out

Frank Bullitt

I would see it as Aldo needing Conor more than the other way around. I do see most of this being mind games though for Conor.

Also probably goes to sleep hearing that laugh in his head, it clearly eats him up to be beaten in such a short space of time. But he hasn't got the skullduggery that McGregor has to tempt him back to fight. McGregor also has the very nice option of a cut to just 155lbs now (if we are to believe what we read) and that might just appeal to him more.

Either way, I like both options. I see Alvarez as the easier of the 2 fights that he could take. His striking last weekend would put most to sleep, the extra layer that Diaz has in his head stopped that. Landing shots like that at 145 or 155 would cabbage most.

Paully D

Very interesting. The whole Diaz rivalry might never have been.

However, Diaz almost didn’t get the nod. Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer recently revealed that “The California Kid” Urijah Faber almost got the call to square off with McGregor at lightweight on just two weeks notice. Faber agreed to terms, but that fight was pushed to the side in favor of Diaz. Meltzer wrote:

“Urijah Faber said that he was originally offered the March fight with Conor McGregor when Rafael dos Anjos pulled out. Faber said he was offered it at 155 on two weeks notice. He agreed to it, but was then told that McGregor decided to fight Nate Diaz instead.”

StringerBell

Oh and by the way, did we notice the return of B.I.G. for the walk out song? told you it was the change in music killed him last time

StringerBell

mdwexford wrote: »

Seen this line so much since Conor won the belt and it drives me nuts.

It's the greatest made up crap I've ever heard.
You are a champion as soon as you win the belt, tournament, championship etc.

Think it came from Matt Hughes originally

While I take the point, and agree that you are obviously a champion when you win the belt, it does take a little bit more to defend it, it is often said its harder to defend a title then to gain it and there is definitely truth in that I feel.

Billy86

StringerBell wrote: »

Think it came from Matt Hughes originally

While I take the point, and agree that you are obviously a champion when you win the belt, it does take a little bit more to defend it, it is often said its harder to defend a title then to gain it and there is definitely truth in that I feel.

Makes sense, a bit like how it seems easier to catch up to someone you are chasing than to keep away from someone you are running from.

JustTheOne

StringerBell wrote: »

Think it came from Matt Hughes originally

While I take the point, and agree that you are obviously a champion when you win the belt, it does take a little bit more to defend it, it is often said its harder to defend a title then to gain it and there is definitely truth in that I feel.

Aldo defended it for 10 years, that's some going!

Doesn't take away the fact you're the champion.

You beat the champion you are now the champion.

But still think he needs to defend it to shut another group up.

sonofenoch

Paully D wrote: »

Very interesting. The whole Diaz rivalry might never have been.

Should have taken that, another 1st round ko and his star continue to ascend....might never have fought Diaz at 170 and that loss...


alternatively it could be argued he's a more rounded focused fighter now, had he beat Faber easily the whole 'El Chapo' schtick would have been off the scale

wonderfullife

JustTheOne wrote: »

Aldo defended it for 10 years, that's some going!

Doesn't take away the fact you're the champion.

You beat the champion you are now the champion.

But still think he needs to defend it to shut another group up.

Aldo was a very inactive champion and by that i mean 3 things:

1. He didn't defend the belt that many times. He defended the UFC strap 7 times. He defended the WEC strap twice.

That's 9 fights in 7 years. Most champions and fighters aim to fight 3 times a year. He fought closer to once a year. Even allowing for injuries.

2. His in-fight strategy definitely altered when defending straps.

His 6 fights before becoming WEC champ were all won by KO or TKO.

6 of his 8 wins post-champion were by Decision.

And in most of those, he poured it on early and coasted in the later rounds.

3. He also coasted in other ways.

He's had 9 fights in the UFC for an 8-1 record.

The fact 4 of the 8 wins came against 2 people (Chad Mendes/Frankie) and other than that, he's beaten who? Ricardo Lamas, K-Flo at the end of his career, Jung, Mark Hominick......


Don't get me wrong, my point isn't that Aldo sucks. He's a great fighter.

My point is that people build this mystique up around him that he was this all-conquering champion for a decade.

He wasn't. He defended the UFC strap for 4 and a half years and was extremely inactive in that period due to injury and multiple pull-outs.


Conor will never be able to do the same. There is no way in hell Kavanagh, Dana or his manager will allow him to cut to FW 5 or 6 more times.

So he'll never go down as a long-reigning champion at 145.

All he really has to do, imo, to cement his 145 legacy is 2 fights - beat Aldo again and beat Frankie decisively once.

Beyond that, 145 is done, history. The Max Holloway chestnut will always be there but bottom line he did beat the guy already in a 30-27 across the board decision on a busted ACL.

JustTheOne

wonderfullife wrote: »

Aldo was a very inactive champion and by that i mean 3 things:

1. He didn't defend the belt that many times. He defended the UFC strap 7 times. He defended the WEC strap twice.

That's 9 fights in 7 years. Most champions and fighters aim to fight 3 times a year. He fought closer to once a year. Even allowing for injuries.

2. His in-fight strategy definitely altered when defending straps.

His 6 fights before becoming WEC champ were all won by KO or TKO.

6 of his 8 wins post-champion were by Decision.

And in most of those, he poured it on early and coasted in the later rounds.

3. He also coasted in other ways.

He's had 9 fights in the UFC for an 8-1 record.

The fact 4 of the 8 wins came against 2 people (Chad Mendes/Frankie) and other than that, he's beaten who? Ricardo Lamas, K-Flo at the end of his career, Jung, Mark Hominick......


Don't get me wrong, my point isn't that Aldo sucks. He's a great fighter.

My point is that people build this mystique up around him that he was this all-conquering champion for a decade.

He wasn't. He defended the UFC strap for 4 and a half years and was extremely inactive in that period due to injury and multiple pull-outs.


Conor will never be able to do the same. There is no way in hell Kavanagh, Dana or his manager will allow him to cut to FW 5 or 6 more times.

So he'll never go down as a long-reigning champion at 145.

All he really has to do, imo, to cement his 145 legacy is 2 fights - beat Aldo again and beat Frankie decisively once.

Beyond that, 145 is done, history. The Max Holloway chestnut will always be there but bottom line he did beat the guy already in a 30-27 across the board decision on a busted ACL.

That's my point.

People saying defending your title means you're a real champ.

Aldo did for so long then conor knocked him out in 13 seconds.

Defending it meant nothing once you get beaten.

Swashbuckler

sonofenoch wrote:

Should have taken that, another 1st round ko and his star continue to ascend....might never have fought Diaz at 170 and that loss...

The two Diaz fights are the best thing to happen to Conor. That rivalry will go down in the history of the sport.

Paully D

sonofenoch wrote: »

Should have taken that, another 1st round ko and his star continue to ascend....might never have fought Diaz at 170 and that loss...

alternatively it could be argued he's a more rounded focused fighter now, had he beat Faber easily the whole 'El Chapo' schtick would have been off the scale

Imagine the job he'd have done on Faber at 155 on 2 weeks notice, Jesus. :pac:

Things have worked out well though. I think his stock is actually greater now despite taking a L in the first fight. A lot of people who don't like him were even impressed with how he took the defeat. Add to that the win last weekend and the fact there's another huge payday lined up for the trilogy fight and I doubt he'd change a thing.

JJayoo

Mcg needs to hurry up and decide

Is he going to fight Aldo at 145

Is he going to move to 155

Waiting around for him to decide is bullsh1t. I'm not saying he has to fight again anytime soon, he needs time to recover from Diaz, but he needs to hurry up and state what he is going to do, because Dana's word carries about as much weight as a wet fart

finglashoop

JustTheOne wrote: »

Aldo defended it for 10 years, that's some going!

Doesn't take away the fact you're the champion.

You beat the champion you are now the champion.

But still think he needs to defend it to shut another group up.

Its not about shutting people up. He earned a title shot aldo deserves a rematch after holding the belt so long. Simple really. I could understand when someone wins the belt and drops it in the next fight they may not get a rematch

JustTheOne

finglashoop wrote: »

Its not about shutting people up. He earned a title shot aldo deserves a rematch after holding the belt so long. Simple really. I could understand when someone wins the belt and drops it in the next fight they may not get a rematch

Sorry I'm responding to the statement you're not a true champion until you defend your title.

J Mysterio

Saipanne wrote: »

I don't see what Conor gets from the Aldo rematch. If he beats Aldo, he'll get no extra credit, and the bitter haters will make bull**** excuses. If he loses, then his first win was "obviously" a fluke.

I don't see the positives.

Maybe there aren't any aside from getting another win on record.
Sometimes you have to just defend your title. Not everything can be a 'is this exactly what I want?' situation for McGregor.

Saipanne

J Mysterio wrote: »

Maybe there aren't any aside from getting another win on record.
Sometimes you have to just defend your title. Not everything can be a 'is this exactly what I want?' situation for McGregor.

Right, but he has a few options on the table, so me weighing up one of those options is a perfectly valid response.

cloudatlas

Another great thing about this fight was that there was so much content to keep us interested in the lead up. The mac life videos, owen roddy's vlog, the ufc content, Jack Slack's breakdown, Firas' breakdown, mma hour and other breakdowns by analysts, it was an absolutely class build up.

Depp

cool to see theyre still running with this and its not just a run up to big fights kinda thing!

wonder who the other cameras are for!

Oregano_State

Anyone know the name of the guy he has training cardio with him? Looks like an interesting chap: cardio expert yet shows all the hallmarks of steroid & hgh use.

JokerD

http://www.lowkickmma.com/UFC/rumor-conor-mcgregor-vs-gsp-to-headline-ufc-205/

GSP not available until December unless it's an exemption. Sure we'll hear plenty of rumours and I imagine news should filter out soon about McGregor's next fight.

Zero-Cool

Whatever about Conor having a 3rd fight at 170 even though Dana said no more 170 for him, i highly doubt UFC want to have GSP lay on Conor for 5 rounds.

JJayoo

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Whatever about Conor having a 3rd fight at 170 even though Dana said no more 170 for him, i highly doubt UFC want to have GSP lay on Conor for 5 rounds.

McG will makes a truck load of cash and even if he gets absolutely wrestle fcuked, then he can just say he fought a true welterweight two weight classes above his weight, great business.

kumate_champ07

Oregano_State wrote: »

Anyone know the name of the guy he has training cardio with him? Looks like an interesting chap: cardio expert yet shows all the hallmarks of steroid & hgh use.

Julian Dalby, he's a a doctor but competed in pro cycling in his younger days so knows alot about cardio. was considered the best sprinter of his era, won track and road national titles

mdwexford

JokerD wrote: »

http://www.lowkickmma.com/UFC/rumor-conor-mcgregor-vs-gsp-to-headline-ufc-205/

Hmm any weight to these rumours do we think?

JokerD

mdwexford wrote: »

Hmm any weight to these rumours do we think?

There'll be rumours galore but GSP technically not allowed back until December unless there's another exemption. Also his return would be coincide with the Toronto show.

GSP did say he could make 155 and a lot of money to be made with a McGregor fight.

Just putting up the link for a bit of conversation.