C. McGregor (photo) continued with his acid tongue, only changing to the new target: Mendes. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Conor McGregor didn't make it cheap to leave José Aldo of UFC 189 and criticized the attitude of the Brazilian fighter, whom he accused of purposely avoiding the fight that was scheduled for July 11th, in Las Vegas.
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In a telephone conference with the press this Wednesday (1st), the Irishman declared that he was not at all surprised by Aldo's departure from card, after the linear featherweight champion suffered a rib injury.
“I thought this was going to happen long before his rib injury. As soon as the fight was announced, I had been thinking about it. As I've said before, eyes never lie, and whenever I looked into your eyes I saw fear. I predicted he wouldn't show up, so it's something I expected. But I don't blame him. I was going to murder him, and I didn't want to face that either. If he becomes a man, we will certainly face each other. But I don’t know if he’ll come back,” said McGregor, who believes that the fight he will do against Chad Mendes, replacing the Brazilian, will be the real champion of the category.
“The medical report says he is fit to fight. So, if he is capable of fighting, but gave up, he should have his title taken away and our fight would be for the real featherweight belt”, he commented.
During the interview, McGregor came to blows with Chad Mendes, who also participated in the conference. The Irishman stated that his opponent is not part of the category's elite, which angered the North American.
"I think Chad is second tier. He's a wrestler with a heavy hand, who gets tired. His body is disproportionate, and that makes him tired. That's why I'm going to put pressure on him and use every blow I have”, said McGregor, who heard Mendes' response shortly afterwards. “How are you going to do this with your back on the floor?” he asked.
McGregor shot back: “What are you going to do? You don't even know how to pass the guard! You are a white belt on the floor. You’re going to try to tie me up, but I’m going to detonate from below,” he said, causing laughter from the North American. "Which is you will do? Are you going to do the splits on me? Are you going to pull a Van Damme?”, she asked. “I'm going to kick him right in the middle of the throat”, concluded the Irishman.
Check out the other highlights from the press conference:
Conor McGregor
About changing strategy with the new opponent
I don't have a strategy. I just get there in a ruthless, cold way, and that's it. It doesn't matter who is in front of me, what their style or approach to the fight is. My approach will win the fight.
If you thought about refusing the fight with Mendes
It didn't cross my mind. My mentality is to destroy every fighter in the featherweight division, one by one. It's not about the champion or anything like that, but rather me destroying them one by one, until the category becomes one of one man. It doesn't matter if it's José or Chad first: each one will have theirs.
Chad Mendes
Public support in Las Vegas
I believe that the North Americans and several Brazilians will be supporting me. I have a lot of fans, family and friends who want to see me destroy Conor.
Your fighting style
Conor has never faced someone like me before. I have the fitness, the strength, the speed and the wrestling to put him on his back. This fight is mine.
Origin of the rivalry with McGregor
Him saying I'm short doesn't bother me, I don't care. I've heard this my whole life. But there was a day when we were doing an interview and he said he would put his b**** on my head. That made it personal. That is wrong.
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