MCGREGOR: “MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. I’M THE REAL WORLD CHAMPION.”
LOS ANGELES – Kenny Florian, Daniel Cormier and Karyn Bryant preview the upcoming two title fights at UFC 189. They interview welterweight champ Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald before their title bout, as well as Chad Mendes and Conor McGregor before their interim featherweight title fight. UFC president Dana White joined the show to talk about the exciting double-header weekend of fights. Insider Ariel Helwani add reports.
UFC TONIGHT host Daniel Cormier on what Chad Mendes needs to do to beat McGregor: “For Chad Mendes, he has to set up the takedowns, control the foot space, step in and grab the high crotch. He needs to throw the overhand to set up the high crotch grab. But he shouldn’t shoot the straight double leg. In the end, he has to take him down in the fight.”
UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on what McGregor needs to do against Mendes: “Conor has a long stance. That long stance will give Chad hard time to get inside. He uses his long range weapons very effectively. He’ll give up the single leg grab on purpose because it’s lot easier to get rid of a single grab. He has to use his variety of strikes, use his creativity and confuse Mendes.”
Conor McGregor on having Jose Aldo pull out of the fight: “It is what it is. I had a feeling he’d pull out. I saw him break in the world tour and if he had a chance to pull out, I knew he would. I train with different body types every day. It makes no difference if number two pulls out and number three goes in. I am number one, so it makes no difference.”
McGregor on if he’s prepared to fight a wrestler now: “It was bittersweet because there’s a question about fighting the wrestler. People think the UFC have been sheltering me from wrestlers. It’s no difference if I get Chad first, Jose next, I will get them all.”
McGregor on what he’s changed in his training to prepare for Mendes’ style: “Absolutely nothing, I’ve been working with my wrestling coach since I was 15 years old. My main coach John is a phenomenal grappler. I anticipated Jose would turn into a wrestler once he felt the power. I’ve been preparing for this style of opponent and all types of opponents. They all turn into wrestlers when they feel the power.”
McGregor on staying on the card after Jose Aldo pulled out: “99.9 percent of the roster would have said they’d wait for Jose to get better and to take the title shot later. I could have fought for the title after Poirier, but I took the Siver fight. I want to make money and perform for my fans. I just hope Jose comes back from that run he’s one. But I think he could be done.”
McGregor on if he believes he’s fighting for the real title, or interim title: “We all have knocks and bruises going into a fight, and many have stepped in with injuries. He did a lot of talking, but not a lot of walking. He should be stripped of the belt. This is the real belt. Make no mistake about it. I’m the world champion and this is it.”
VIDEO: McGregor Interview
http://www.foxsports.com/
Chad Mendes on keeping his emotions in check vs. McGregor: “I’ve been a high-level athlete since I was five years old. I’ve wrestled up through the NCAA’s and fought guys like this. It’s the mental side of it. This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There’s no way that guy is going to get in my head.”
Mendes on only training for 11 days: “That last 11 days was just fine-tuning the game plan. I’ve been watching him, building a game plan, and training for anyone who’s a top contender. I feel ready, I feel great. We’ve prepared for him since he’s come into the UFC.”
Mendes on how he’ll deal with McGregor’s reach advantage: “I’ve fought Erik Koch who’s a long southpaw, for my first fight in the WEC. It’s all about execution. From my first fight in the UFC I had to deal with it. Pretty much everyone has the reach advantage in every one of my fights. I have the athleticism. I can close the distance on anyone. I hit like Mike Tyson, especially with those little gloves. I’m going to put somebody to sleep.”
Robbie Lawler on how he’ll fight Rory MacDonald differently this time: “He’s very technical fighter. He comes from one of the best fighter camps in the world. I haven’t changed. But I’ve been working on adding to my game and getting better.”
Rory MacDonald on what he’s changed since the first fight with Lawler: “My coaches looked at the last fight and we trained differently. I’ve added new techniques and perfected them. I’m feeling comfortable.”
Lawler on being the underdog: “It doesn’t bother me. I’m the best in the world at 170 and I’m going to show it on Saturday.”
MacDonald on being the favorite in the fight: “I don’t really care about odds. Robbie’s a great fighter. We had a great fight. I expect a high energy fight. It’ll be closely contested. We’ll see how it comes out.”
VIDEO: Karyn Bryant talks with Rory MacDonald and Robbie Lawler
http://www.foxsports.com/
Florian on MacDonald needs to do against Lawler in this fight: “The hype is real. He’s the guy with the longer reach. He needs to use that to his advantage. He needs to use the diversity of his skills, mix it up and feint a lot. With wrestling takedowns, he found success in the last fight.”
Cormier on what Lawler needs to do against MacDonald: “If you thought he was good in the past, he’s even better now. He needs to look at the third round of the last fight and put the pressure on him. Bully him. When Robbie puts pressure, it’ll force Rory into a reactive fight. If he makes him shoot off of backing up, it won’t work. He’ll get the advantage.”
UFC President Dana White on UFC 189 losing Jose Aldo: “You lose a fighter like Jose Aldo and put Mendes in, and we added to the gate. This fight is breaking every record, pre-buys on PPV, traffic on the website, it’s bigger than UFC 100. This will be the biggest fight ever.”
White on Aldo pulling out: “He was medically cleared. But he decided to not fight. He stood to make a lot of money in this fight. The bigger issue was making weight.”
White on Mendes getting the fight: “Mendes has only lost to Jose Aldo and his last fight with him was a war. Chad was absolutely the guy to get this shot, and like a stud, he stepped up.”
White on breaking news to Daniel Cormier: “Rashad Evans will fight in October. He’ll fight Ryan Bader at UFC 192. You might fight in October as well.”
VIDEO: Dana White Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on Cain Velasquez’s return after his last loss: “The good news, he has no major injuries from the loss, and wants to fight October 3rd in Houston, Texas on the same card as Daniel Cormier, if Cormier fights on it.”
VIDEO: Interview: Conor McGregor plans to ‘steamroll’ Chad Mendes at UFC 189
http://www.foxsports.com/
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