Tag: UFC 257

Conor McGregor plans extended run at 155 pounds, would ‘love’ trilogy title fight with Nate Diaz

Conor McGregor is eyeing an extended run in the UFC’s 155-pound division, and said he’d love to welcome old rival Nate Diaz back to the division in a trilogy title fight.

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is all set to kickstart the year at UFC 257 when he takes on Dustin Poirier in the main event in Abu Dhabi but, as you might expect, the savvy Irishman has a host of options up his sleeve as he plots the next chapter of his career.

In an extended interview with The Mac Life from his pre-fight camp in Dubai, McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) chatted about his return to action, and how he sees the lightweight division as his likely home for the foreseeable future as the former two-division UFC champion looks to build a similar run of success at 155 pounds to the one he enjoyed when he exploded onto the world stage as a 145-pounder earlier in his career.

“I would like to put a stint in at 155 pounds, for sure,” he explained. “I came into the UFC as a featherweight and I went through the division. I gave it my all in that division and I tore through it like a chainsaw through butter. Interim title, then unified title. Then I went up and reached for greater heights, went to the lightweight division, became lightweight champion and became the first duel-weight champion in the company’s history. Then obviously other things presented themselves, the Floyd fight and where it went. Then I went to the welterweight division, also. I never got a good stint at 155 pounds, a consecutive stint like I’ve done in the featherweight division. I would like to do the same here in the lightweight division that I’ve done in the featherweight division – give it a good run and tear through the division. There’s many good competitors, good fighters, in there, and I feel levels above them all. So I would like to put that stint in.”

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McGregor’s immediate focus is on a run of success in the UFC’s lightweight division, but he also revealed that other options are available to him, both in the octagon and the boxing ring.

“There are dangling carrots … treasure chests that get presented to me,” he continued. “We’ve got world titles in boxing now, there’s talks of … I hear Dana talking (about) Nate Diaz coming back down to lightweight. I love that. I’d love to compete against Diaz. We will compete again. If that happens at lightweight for a title, that would be something special, also. So there’s many great options that are in the works and let’s see what happens. I am ready.”

Diaz (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) hasn’t competed at lightweight since his December 2015 win over Michael Johnson, but despite that time away from the division, McGregor said he’d be happy to welcome his old adversary back to the weight class with a title fight to complete their trilogy. But, he said, he’d relish the opportunity to face the Stockton native again, regardless of the weight class.

When asked who Diaz should face in his first fight back at lightweight, McGregor admitted, “I think if he’s going to come down to 155 he should come down for me, to be honest with you. Nate’s a warrior, Nate’s a go-er, Nate shows up, steps up and fights. It’s not necessary, I don’t feel, to have him fight another 155er against another contender. I feel maybe it should be me and Nate, you know.

“If it’s going to be 155 we could possibly do that for the belt. If not, I’d probably just fight Nate at 170 pounds again. The reason being we fought at 170 twice. Why mix it up for the trilogy? But, if there’s belts and titles and loftier things on the line, I’m certain a 155-pound challenge with Nate would be something. So, many great fights and many great options, and I’m pretty excited about every single one of them.”

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Dana White previews UFC 257 headliner: ‘Motivated’ Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2.0

Dana White sees the UFC 257 main event as a battle between a “motivated” Conor McGregor and a revitalized Dustin Poirier.

ABU DHABI – UFC president Dana White is a promoter, yes, but he’s a fight fan, too.

With UFC 257 and the rematch between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] right around the corner, White is excited by what he’s seen and heard from both main event competitors.

According to White, McGregor is extremely motivated entering UFC 257. White indicated McGregor hasn’t always had that throughout the span of his career.

“It’s one thing to have Conor back,” White told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “It’s another thing to have Conor back. This is the motivated (Conor). When Conor is like he is right now, you’re guaranteed for (something).”

The motivation comes from inactivity, White presumes. McGregor has competed only once since October 2018. His time away from competition has made him hungrier for a return, according to White.

“I think (the) time off is what’s given him this,” White said. “He’s as famous as famous can be. You said he’s got all the money in the world. There’s a lot of things that drive you crazy about this sport. It gets you to a point where you’re just like, ‘I don’t want anything to do with this right now.’ Once you get away from it for a while, you start to remember all of the things that you love about it.

“I can imagine, for a fighter, I couldn’t speak on that side, (about) the level of training that they do and fight week and all the things that go into it, but I think you start to miss it. I think that’s where he was. I’ve seen it happen with so many other guys, too. I think that’s his motivation right now.”

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While the spotlight largely falls on McGregor when he fights, regardless of opponent, White isn’t counting out Poirier. When McGregor and Poirier fought at UFC 187 in September 2013, the Irishman knocked out the American in the first round. Seven years later, Poirier thinks he’s a much different, more evolved – and his boss believes him.

“I just saw a thing with Poirier yesterday where Poirier is like, ‘Let me tell you what. If you think that I’m the same guy that fought Conor last time, you’re out of your mind. You’re going to see a war.’ I believe every word of it,” White said. “This is the right fight at the right time for both of these guys and I think it’s going to be fun.”

UFC 257 takes place Saturday, Jan. 23 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The main card streams on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

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WBC president says Conor McGregor one victory from fighting for boxing title

MMA star Conor McGregor is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

(Editor’s note: This story first appeared at Boxing Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Network.)

UFC star [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

That’s the word from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who told SunSport that he would be eligible for a title shot if he were to beat an opponent ranked in the  Top 15 by that sanctioning body.

McGregor has taken part in only one sanctioned boxing match – a 10th-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – but he has had great success in mixed martial arts, which Sulaiman said would work in his favor in terms of ranking.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter,” Sulaiman said. “Then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title. … We have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko. They come into professional boxing and fight for the title, and it’s proven it works.”

Sulaiman went on: “If he is to start boxing and proves with victories in boxing then he should certainly be given the opportunity to fight for a world title. We in the WBC consider the amateur career as one of the criteria for rankings.

“And, for example Muay Thai, in Thailand, we consider that career also when they enter into boxing. … Conor has a mixed martial arts resume. So if he comes into boxing and wins a fight against a ranked fighter, he would be eligible to be ranked.

“This is not a rookie entering the sport. He has a long history of combat sports. So it’s a different scenario of what it used to be in the past.”

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Sulaiman believes McGregor has ability as a boxer even though he faded down the stretch against Mayweather and was stopped.

“What we saw with Mayweather was of course different with the times, the rounds, it is not the same to fight five rounds to then go 12 rounds,” Sulaiman said. “But he has ability, he has power, he has status as a fighter. But to compete and become a world champion in the WBC, he would need to fight in boxing and by merit be ranked.

“Then he would be in the position to challenge. I don’t know what weight category he would be, but definitely he would need to get a decisive win against a quality opponent to be considered to be ranked.”

McGregor, 32, is focused on his MMA career at the moment – he is set to fight Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23 – but he has said he would like to win a boxing title before he’s finished.

Of course, McGregor could end up fighting for the belt of a different governing body.

He and WBA welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao have expressed an interest in fighting one another, which presumably means that McGregor could go directly into a title fight if Pacquiao remains champion and the fight is sanctioned when they meet.

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‘Fight Island’ commentary teams, broadcast plans set for three events ending with UFC 257

The broadcasting teams are set for UFC on ABC 1, UFC on ESPN 20 and UFC 257 on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

The UFC’s 2021 schedule kicks off this week. A three-event stretch on “Fight Island” will usher in a new calendar year for the promotion, as UFC on ABC 1, UFC on ESPN 20 and UFC 257 are slated to unfold at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

Similar to the promotion’s previous trips to the region, some very high-profile fights are set to unfold on the three fight cards that take place over one week’s time. And as always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast teams for each event below.

Dan Hooker looking to steal Michael Chandler’s hype, enter title contention at UFC 257

Dan Hooker sees UFC 257 as a big opportunity to reposition himself at the top of the lightweight division.

[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] sees UFC 257 as a big opportunity to reposition himself at the top of the promotion’s lightweight division.

Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) will welcome former three-time Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the UFC on Jan. 23 and is aiming to steal all the shine of Chandler’s highly anticipated octagon debut.

With Chandler having served as the backup for the lightweight title fight between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje at this past October’s UFC 254, Hooker understands that a win could put him in the running for a title shot – even if he thinks headliners Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier also have a case to compete for a potentially vacant title.

“I think Conor and Dustin should be for the belt,” Hooker told MMA Junkie Radio. “I feel like that should be a title fight, but regardless whoever wins that, their next fight, whether it’s against Khabib or whether that’s against the No. 1 contender, that’ll be fighting for the title. Michael Chandler popped up on my radar when they put him as the backup for the title fight, as the guy that was gonna get the shot if Khabib or Gaethje, if something happened to one of them.

“So I feel like with a win over him, I take that spot. I take all of that hype that’s behind him, and I put myself back in title contention.”

Chandler may be a new face in the UFC, but he has garnered plenty of experience fighting top-level talent in Bellator. With 12 of Chandler’s career wins coming in the first round, Hooker is expecting an action-packed opening five minutes, which he happily welcomes.

“He’s orthodox; he’s got a good right hand,” Hooker said of Chandler. “There’s a lot of similarities there between Al Iaquinta and Paul Felder, so there’s a lot of similarities there. I just feel like he’s a lot more explosive and is a lot faster at closing the distance, and he starts very fast.

“He starts incredibly quick. In that first round, he will really come out and try to test you and try to take your head off pretty much, so that’s exciting to me. It’s gonna be a fast start, and it might be all she wrote in Round 1, so that’s good news for me.”

UFC 257 takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The night’s main card streams on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

To hear the complete interview with Hooker, check out the video below.

https://youtu.be/QUcCkXI-EGA

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Amanda Ribas wants quick finish of Marina Rodriguez at UFC 257 to get to title contention

In a card stacked with some of the sport’s most notable names, Amanda Ribas is gunning for a standout performance at UFC 257.

[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] is looking to steal the show Jan. 23.

Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) faces [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] at UFC 257 on “Fight Island,” which is headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.

In a card stacked with some of the sport’s most notable names, Ribas is gunning for a standout performance. But in order to do so, she has to get through a durable Rodriguez (13-1-2 MMA, 2-1-2 UFC), who’s only lost once in her career – a split decision to former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza.

“I hope it happens really fast with a great submission or a great knockout because I like fast fights – but she’s really tough,” Ribas told MMA Junkie.

Prior to drawing Rodriguez, Ribas was scheduled to face Esparza. That fight fell though, and so, too, did a new matchup with Michelle Waterson. Rodriguez may not be as highly ranked as those two opponents, but Ribas thinks with a dominant performance, she can jump to title contention.

“I hope so, because I was supposed to fight Carla, and I don’t know what happened,” Ribas said. “I was supposed to fight Michelle, and they’re both really good in the rankings. So if I was supposed to fight against her, maybe if I do a great fight against Marina, I can go up in the rankings and maybe fight for the title.”

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Coach Marcos DaMatta touts Amanda Ribas title potential | UFC 257 | MMA Junkie

American Top Team coach Marcos “Parrumpa” DaMatta discusses his star pupil Amanda Ribas ahead of UFC 257 in this interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie.

American Top Team coach Marcos “Parrumpa” DaMatta discusses his star pupil Amanda Ribas ahead of UFC 257 in this interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie.

Amanda Ribas sees chance to jump line for title with win | UFC 257 | MMA Junkie.mov

Amanda Ribas previews her UFC 257 fight with Marina Rodriguez on “Fight Island,” the possibility of a title shot and more in this interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie

Amanda Ribas previews her UFC 257 fight with Marina Rodriguez on “Fight Island,” the possibility of a title shot and more in this interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie