Conor McGregor made an appearance on ESPN's Sportscenter, last night, and declared himself the UFC world featherweight champion. To McGregor, interim is a dirty word and an association he plans to rid himself of in the coming months.
McGregor spoke about his UFC 189 victory over Chad Mendes, his trash-talking during that fight and the much-anticipated unification bout against Jose Aldo.
The early favourite, in terms of staging Aldo-McGregor, was Las Vegas' MGM Grand in early January. Respected MMA correspondent Kevin Iole revealed, earlier this month,
the UFC was considering AT&T Stadium, in Dallas, for a fight that would headline UFC 194.
Doubts about Dallas were raised on Thursday when
Bleacher Report's Jeremy Botter posted that UFC 194 was headed for Calgary, Canada,
with Robbie Lawler versus Carlos Condit as the main event.
However, McGregor has reopened the door to Dallas, Texas on December 5.
He said, '[UFC 189] was a tremendous event and one of the biggest, if not the biggest in history. So it’s only right [that we build on it]. We don’t stay the same. We don’t go backwards, we always go forwards. That’s what my business partner Mr. Lorenzo Fertitta always says. We don’t stay in the same spot. You move up levels.
'So the next level would be a big football stadium, which is in discussions. Dallas Stadium there has been rumors there over the years that the UFC will hold and event there if they can get a fighter of my magnitude, or a fighter of that magnitude that can generate them numbers.'
'It has always been rumors, but now they have me,' McGregor continued. 'Now we have the numbers and now is the time to strike on this if they are gonna do it, but if it is there it is there, if it’s in Vegas it’s in Vegas.
'Make no mistake about it, it will the biggest event in UFC history. As will every single fight that I am involved in from here on in.'
Asked about his disdain for his current title, as interim champ, McGregor declared, 'I am now the world champion. You claim it’s the interim champion, but Jose went running.
'Jose’s a scared little man who did not show up to fight and sat under his covers praying for Chad Mendes to win. His whole team were praying for Chad Mendes to win so he would not face me. But his prayers went unanswered and I dominated and won.
'Now I am the featherweight world champion of the UFC. We will schedule a fight against Jose in the future and see how it plays out. Hopefully he stops running and man’s up and let’s do this damn fight.'
