Connor McGregor

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What do people make of him?
 
Have seen a couple of his fights and have been impressed.
A great win over Brandeo in Dublin.
 
Great to have an Irish fighter on the scene.
 
Pesonality wise, i'm a bit 50/50 on him.
 
He's quite amusing to listen to and watch.
As good a fighter as he is so far, he needs to go onto fight some top 5/10 guys on a regulatr basis to see how good he will become.

I'm sure they are SOF, just think that they are 2 great fighters, so maybe a bit more respect both ways would'nt hurt.

Your gonna get that though.

He is funny CM. Also very entertaining. Sticking with my ko prediction for CM.
I hope, more for his sake that he wins, all that talk.

I would find it slightly amusing, sorry, if he does lose, because of all the trash talk and not being able to back it up.

Slight doubt as to whether this fight will go ahead, as Aldo has a rib injury.

If he pulls out Mendes will take his place.

Hopefully Aldo will fight.

Nate Diaz is aparently on standby too.

Really?

Would love to see CM smash Diaz.

Hoping though Aldo pulls through.

Too much money has been pumped into this fight for it to fall through with a niggle injury.

Doesnt bode well for Aldo's chances though!

Will no doubt use that as an excuse if he loses.

On the other hand, if he wins with an injury, CM gonna look like a real tool.

All the trash talk and couldn't beat an injured, yet still talented Also.

Aldo's pulled out. McGregor will now face Chad Mendes for the interim title.

No.


In fairness i wanted to see CM V Aldo.

Am on my stag do next weekend, so will be in a mess by the time the fight comes around.

Am a fan of Mendes though.

Just have a feeling CM will win in the first round.

aldo would have been a much better fight, shame really. not a fan of mendes, but do think he'll just hug mcgregor to victory

and that leaves us with mendes lined up for another shot at aldo despite losing to him twice already

If Mendes connects well with CM could be game over.

Im actually glad these 2 are fighting.

Think CM will just edge it.

Then set up a fight with Aldo at UFC Fight Night in Dublin on october 24th.

I wouldn't be bothered if CM loses.

Mendes is decent and comes from a good team.

im not too worried about mcgregors stand up, think he'll have the better of it if im honest. while chad has decent power i'll think he'll revert to his wrestling past and try and exploit what most consider any uk and irish fighters weakness.

mcgregor has yet to come up against a top wrestler

McGregor has not fought a Shaolin monk nor a Samurai yet either. I jest, however, I am glad that McGregor is fighting Chad Mendes so we dont have to hear the line that he hasnt fought a wrestler yet and we can put that one to bed win, lose or draw.

In any case it will be interesting to see how he holds up against Mendes' attempts to take it to the mat and he is bound to do. Mendes has KO power but with TRex arms I doubt he will find the right range so either CMac will hit him like a freight train or its going to the mat.

compelling and rich wrote:aldo would have been a much better fight, shame really. not a fan of mendes, but do think he'll just hug mcgregor to victory

and that leaves us with mendes lined up for another shot at aldo despite losing to him twice already

I'm not so sure, Mendes has vastly improved stand up and has power, we saw that in the 2nd Aldo fight, he's defo confident to stand & bang. Its just that CM also has power & will defo want to stand and bang. Could just come down to who lands the big one first.

A 3rd Aldo vs Mendes fight is still a good fight but I know what you mean.

GunsGerms wrote:McGregor has not fought a Shaolin monk nor a Samurai yet either. I jest, however, I am glad that McGregor is fighting Chad Mendes so we dont have to hear the line that he hasnt fought a wrestler yet and we can put that one to bed win, lose or draw.

They're just hater's lines tho really aren't they? I could say no wrestler has fought a high level kickboxer who can really kick & does not leave their leg hanging out as opposed to a ground fighter with 'good stand up' or they've never faced a boxer that can really hit and throw combinations or hit & move. I'm very sure that CM is ready for any style and he is a very confident & relaxed fighter. BTW I'm no CM fanboy.

Right my prediction.

Ha e gone back and forth, but have surprised a few people with my decision and not many agree, but am going for a Chad Mendes win.

First went with decision, but am going for a submission.

I have a feeling Mendes will KO McGregor but Im hoping for a five round war with CMac knocking Mendes out in the last minute of the last round.

Good fight last night. Conor's not nearly the finished article. ..takes too many shots he should be able to avoid, but my word he's a tough little fecker. Even though Mendes was literally on top for much of the fight McGregor never looked in serious trouble and it was a matter or when not if he'd get the win.

Yeah it was a great fight Dave. McGregor I thought was failing against the wrestling style of mendez. But his standup game is so strong, it didn't matter in the end. He has decent defense against takedowns and can spring up into attack in a second. I'd make him a clear favourite against Aldo now.
Mcgregor is a tool, but he brings the ufc what it needs, exciting fights with knockouts.

Typical English media

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/mma/irish-fans-not-happy-with-bbc-linking-conor-mcgregor-to-united-kingdom/31997

McGregor is the man. Would gladly pay to watch this man fight.

He has his flaws but he is a tough boy!

DAVE667 wrote:Good fight last night. Conor's not nearly the finished article. ..takes too many shots he should be able to avoid, but my word he's a tough little fecker. Even though Mendes was literally on top for much of the fight McGregor never looked in serious trouble and it was a matter or when not if he'd get the win.

His take down defense wasnt great but he did everything well on the ground. His scramble when Chad went for the sub was excellent and his elbow shots from bottom position were decent too. Chad in fairness didnt manage to do much damage from top either although he probably was ahead with the judges for both rounds prior to the KO.

Chad was on top for only about a third of the fight I reckon. It just seems longer than it was. McGregor definitly won the stand up exchanges.

Re taking shots, he takes shots in all his fights. Thats the type of fighter he is. He takes lots of risks, thats why he is exciting and part of the reason he is such a big draw. The thing is though because he has so much power and such a strong chin it turns out that taking a few shots in this division isnt much of a risk for him because 9 times out of 10 he will be the one dishing out the KO as his record proves. Look at the KO straight left he threw on Chad for example. All his weight is on one foot and he leans forward with his chin completely exposed.

The dilemma for McGregor now is that he has metaphorically talked himself into a corner.
The trash talk looked pretty and was a funny trip for a time.  But, all the while, the attraction of it for many (both his likers and his haters) was in seeing how real the talk would prove.  
His likers wanted him to fully prove the talking was all honest to goodness 'walking' when challenged to prove itself - and of course his haters looked forward to the day he'd fall on his ass; so in a sense they enjoyed all his trash talk too.  The louder he was, the more they set themselves up to enjoy his embarrassing fall.
Now he's proven for those that still doubted him that he has the seriousness of intent to give all his funny put-down lines context and reality.  

So how does he proceed?  The lines were good for his two year run to the top but they might become tiresome if he extends them now into his hopeful 'title holder years'  "It is what it is" was beginning to ring hollow and artificial by the end of this long build up.  You could sense even in him that he was tiring of the 'show time' circus demands placed on him and his opinions.
So maybe McGregor should change colours again now to offset people's opinions of him once more.  Let the challengers now do the trash talk money-generation work.  It might be funny for him now to become a stoic, taciturn monk for a year or two.  Give the hanger-on media a new character to play with. And fully concentrate on serious training behind the scenes.

He is just being himself. The guy is absolute box office and has just broke all records for UFC event figures bar perhaps pay per views which have not been released yet.

He has not "talked himself into a corner" he has talked himself and fought his way to being a true global phenomonon whether you like him or not that is an absolute fact.

GunsGerms wrote:He is just being himself. The guy is absolute box office and has just broke all records for UFC event figures bar perhaps pay per views which have not been released yet.

He has not "talked himself into a corner" he has talked himself and fought his way to being a true global phenomonon whether you like him or not that is an absolute fact.

And being himself he was obviously tired talking towards the end and admitted it - but still the money-machine demands compelled him to keep talking even when his brain was asleep.  

Plus - when a guy has proven that the talk walks - the attraction of the talk becomes less intense.  That's another fact.  People tend to say 'Just walk'.  
The talk generated both the audience and the pay day - fact  But that was because the likers and the haters both liked the narrative.  Winning has lessened the power of that narrative from here on in.  He's no longer the brash chancer talking bigger than his talent (in the eyes of those that didn't believe the hype).  He's now a proven winner (against considered top ranked talent).

He should be careful now.  Beware others in the game with their own 'narrative' - namely oh-so-coy shrewd White.  
The Aldo thing - well let's just say greed knows no limits:  "Hey, this thing is so big now, if we delayed it even longer and added another interim string (Mendes fight) we could really hit pay-dirt on the final meeting of meetings between McGregor and Aldo later on in the year".   So even more distracting world talking trips for the money-making McGregor as Aldo instead gets back to serious training and lets the Irish show-monkey beat out the eventual pay-cheque he (Aldo) gets for potentially re-taking his crown from the 'mouthbox'.

McGregor should be very wary of what narratives others in his sport wants to tell in the long term.  Trust nobody would be my advise to him.  Train hard.  Resist the talk-circus excesses.  Train hard.  White wins no matter who wins.  He's just using McGregor (for now!) to give his sport a promotional leg-up.  So train hard and let Aldo do most of the circus stuff over the next few months - Aldo owes McGregor that much for the pay-cheque McGregor has already generated for him come the time of that 'delayed' clash.

McGregor will probably fight twice more in featherweight and then move up to lightweight and the process begins again. His aim as he has said himself is by the time he has retired is to be a three division champion. There is plenty left in the Mcgregor script before he hangs the gloves up.

GunsGerms wrote:McGregor will probably fight twice more in featherweight and then move up to lightweight and the process begins again. His aim as he has said himself is by the time he has retired is to be a three division champion. There is plenty left in the Mcgregor script before he hangs the gloves up.

Well I hope so. I'm enjoying the ride...But I'm very protective of this guy. I don't want to be looking back in a few years thinking some of the very astute 'admin' guys proved smarter than he was and used him (and us Irish) for a few years to expose themselves to a larger (European) audience and then dumped him. He needs to look after number one...and that's continued training hard and constant learning - and not being too distracted by his money-generating role.

SecretFly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:McGregor will probably fight twice more in featherweight and then move up to lightweight and the process begins again. His aim as he has said himself is by the time he has retired is to be a three division champion. There is plenty left in the Mcgregor script before he hangs the gloves up.

Well I hope so.  I'm enjoying the ride...But I'm very protective of this guy.  I don't want to be looking back in a few years thinking some of the very astute 'admin' guys proved smarter than he was and used him (and us Irish) for a few years to expose themselves to a larger (European) audience and then dumped him.  He needs to look after number one...and that's continued training hard and constant learning - and not being too distracted by his money-generating role.

He has generated plenty of money for himself. Its highly doubtful but if he wasnt a multi-millionaire before this fight his is now because he contracted to get a cut of the PPV figures. Jose Aldo was due to earn $4m for the fight so CMac probably got something similar. Im not too worried about him particularly because he keeps such a tight knit support system of his family and SBG team who keep him grounded. I have a theory that the greatest champions tend to be people with very simple lives outside their sport and he fits that profile for me.

GunsGerms wrote:

He has generated plenty of money for himself. Its highly doubtful but if he wasnt a multi-millionaire before this fight his is now because he contracted to get a cut of the PPV figures. Jose Aldo was due to earn $4m for the fight so CMac probably got something similar. Im not too worried about him particularly because he keeps such a tight knit support system of his family and SBG team who keep him grounded. I have a theory that the greatest champions tend to be people with very simple lives outside their sport and he fits that profile for me.

Oh I'm not talking money making for himself. I meant money making for the sport. He's generating huge business and image work for the sport and in turn the admin people behind the sport. He's generating huge increases in earning for others on the sidelines. I'm saying it's here that he needs to be careful and selfish. It's his reputation by the end of his career as a fighter that he needs to be concentrating on. Keep focused on the fight aspect as White and others perhaps want him to keep the tills ringing with the 'personality' aspects. Like I said, White will always win, even if McGregor loses. McGregor should just be less available for endless promotion and more fully in tune with concentrating on his legacy as a fighter. It's probably only getting ultra serious now. In a way, this is day one.

I know you were but you were implying that people are just using him to get rich. That might be true if it werent for the fact that he is also getting insanely rich himself. Dont underestimate the influence McGregor has over Dana White. He was cruising around Vegas in Dana's Ferrari after one UFC fight. Dana White is an Irish American who had a horn for McGregor from day one. At the very worst their relationship is symbiotic yet most UFC fighters hold a grudge that Dana is giving MCGregor special treatment which lets face it he clearly is.

McGregor used the UFCs own gym for his pre fight training camp and a house that they found for him. He also regularly stays in the same hotels as Dana in penthouse suites that the UFC have bankrolled when all other fighters are all put up in lower profile diggs.

I think the UFC is looking after McGregor very well so far to be honest.

CMC is now officially the greatest living Irishman along with Paul O'Connell, Bono and Liam Neeson. What a legend.

#werenotheretotakepart

Was a decent fight.

Got my prediction totaly wrong.

Only saw the replay sunday night( having know the result).

Was in a bar in Benidorm, so they had music on.

What was his interview like?

Interesting that he is a coqch on the next season of TUF, the oposing Coach, none other than Mendes team mate Urijah Faber.

Will be a good season i feel.

McGregor v Aldo.

Set for December 12th.

Lets hope it actually goes ahead this time.

Also looking forward to seeing McGregor V Faber in the next TUF series.

McGregor is just what the UFC needs. It's biggest stars except Rousey retired or absent (Jones).

Conor is loved or hated but always watched.

The Aldo fight will be a tough one to pick but would favour McGregor ever so slightly as he's a lot bigger his southpaw stance will negate Aldo's leg kicks.

Should be a largely stand up fight so will be entertaining and probably the UFC's biggest earner.

It's a HUGE card with Weidman vs Rockhold (possibly best MW fight ever), with Romero vs Souza to determine who fights the winner of Weidman/Rockhold and is every bit as mouth watering.

After that there are loads of top talent fighting including:

Hollaway
Faber
Maia
Nelson

The card is big enough to lose any of the main 3 fights and still be BIG.

Nelson v Maia should have been on the Dublin card. Disapointed it wasnt.

valero- not sure you claim best middleweight fight ever without having the spiders name in it. the likes of anderson v dan henderson or franklin were much bigger imo

TUF starts tomorrow on BT.

will have to watch on mma-core.

Just seen a preview fir the next TUF. Looking forward to this big time.

McGregor is quality entertainment and am a big fan of Faber.

Should be a hum dinger

Well, that was quicker than i thought.

CM certainly backs up his words.

Awesome fighter in fairness.

Good win for Rockhold, thought Weidmann would get the w.

The support fight was amazing

McGregor does what he wants. The king!!

Atmosphere was electric. Fair shout to the Irish really turned out in force.

Aldo was beaten during the promotional stage. He lost his head, ran full steam at a power puncher. His anger overcame his experience. Well done to mcgregor though, he said he'd be hammering his unconscious body in the first.

I like Conor McGregor. Always wonder if he has an undiagnosed mild form of Tourettes though. Still was a stunning finish. Kid's got hands like speedy Gonzales to go with his freakish reach. Aldo said he wants an immediate rematch though. Will be interesting. Fight finished on one Stunning punch so can't really say how it will go (unless CM starts like a house on fire again)

McGregor's reaction times are insanely fast. He's nowhere near the most powerful striker in the division but because his reaction times are so quick he can time his counters perfectly.

He`s nowhere near the most powerful striker in the division! He now has 17 ko`s in 19 wins! How many fighgers do you have ahead of him in the power stakes and would you care to name them?

A rematch probably is still the biggest fight out there for CM although frankie edgar is supposedly next in line but its money that will decide who is next. Edgar was impressive ko`ing mendes the night before though.

Still fancy CM to ko Aldo in a rematch but not like that again

sohotnot wrote:He`s nowhere near the most powerful striker in the division! He now has 17 ko`s in 19 wins! How many fighgers do you have ahead of him in the power stakes and would you care to name them?

Read what I put. There's no doubt fighters like Mendes can hit harder but they can't time like he can. He picks his shots so well.

He says what he will do and goes out out and does it to a t.

Perfection.

Think he would win a re match, but may go a bit longer.
Agree that Aldo was beaten in the build up to the fight.

Never met anyone like him.

Joe Rogan said Aldo was 'nervous as f**k' when he hit the ring. Says alot. Chael Sonnen said he was expecting Aldo to fail making the weight and pull out of the fight.

Aldo made Rousey look like Sugar Ray Robinson. Looking forward to McGregor beating up Frankie Edgar. He's one of those guys I can't stand for some reason. However, no-one annoyed more than Clay "The Carpenter "Guida