Conor McGregor recently revealed his plans and spoke about how grateful he is for the massive support he has received from the fans. McGregor wants to win his next fight, get a title shot, defend the title in Dublin, then move up to challenge for the lightweight title. All in a days work for the notorious.
“This is the beginning, I’m only warming up here. At the end of the day I’m out to get a world title and that’s all that’s on my mind. I feel the support of my nation, I just embrace it and carry on doing what I’m doing.”
“I suppose you could compare it to Ricky Hatton and the way his fans were at the height of his career. It’s phenomenal, but again it’s only the warm-up. We’re only doing jumping jacks at the minute.
“I wasn’t expecting the support I got in Vegas. I wasn’t expecting it, I don’t think the UFC were expecting it. Just before I walked on stage to weigh in the day before the fight we were all backstage and all we could hear was ‘Ole, Ole, Ole’ – everyone heard it including my opponent.”
“I don’t really have any emotion after the fight to be honest. I said I was going to do it and then I done it. I don’t gloat in victory, when the fight is over it’s over. I don’t rub anything in.
“Had it been the other way around, if he had beaten me, you better believe he would’ve rubbed it in my face. I’m not like that. I predicted everything that would happen like I usually do and then it happened. I don’t get excited, it was already a certainty, I celebrated when I signed the contract.
“If you do what you say you’re going to do look what happens? I’ve skipped the queue and now I’m the world title contender, I’m number one contender. My next fight is most likely going to be for the title. After that there will be no catching me.”
“If a 155 fight came up I will take it. I’m only gone 26, I’m not going to be making featherweight my whole career, it’s a tough cut. I do it and I do it professionally, but it’s tough.
“I’ll win the belt, maybe I’ll defend it in the Aviva and then I’ll challenge for the lightweight belt, then who knows? That’s definitely in my plans, you better believe that.”
“It’s going to be in the summer. I’ll win the belt, possibly in January or February in Vegas and then I’ll defend it in the Aviva in June or July. It’s definitely in the Aviva next summer.”
The Conor McGregor phenomenon may rest in no small part on the Irishman being undefeated in the UFC. However, SBG Ireland teammates Gunnar Nelson and Paddy Holohan recently suffered their first defeats, and McGregor said a loss can be a gain and a win can be a loss.
“They say a loss can make or break a fighter, but I think the same can be said for a victory,” he said. “Some people get sloppy on a win and ultimately that can lead to their downfall.”
“When energy levels were identical, we were superior technically. Then, when energy levels were down, that’s when the change started happening. It’s not really that much of a big deal – you brush it off and you come back. Defeat is the secret ingredient to success.
“In anything you must lose a million times before you can start to win so this is just part of their journey. They lost this last one, they’ll brush it off and they’ll be back – there’s no doubt about it.”
Everything McGregor has predicted so far has happened. Can the Irishman really win the title at two different weights? Only time will tell.
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