McGregor and Mendes will contest the interim featherweight title after reigning champion Jose Aldo last night withdrew from the scheduled bout with McGregor after suffering a bruised rib in training last week.
The Dubliner insists that the change in opponent doesn’t matter, saying
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“The opponent is an illusion in there. It’s you versus you.
“It does not matter who’s across from me 11 July, I will charge forward, I will put the pressure on and I will get the victory.”
After predicting a four-minute win over the Brazilian champion, McGregor, speaking on SportsCentre, was asked to predict the bout with Mendes.
“I’ll give Mendes – I think the two of them are similar – four minutes of the first round.
“Like I said, the opponent is an illusion. The shots I’ve visualised landing on Jose, I visualise landing on Chad. After four minutes of the first round, Chad will be unconscious.”
I’m gonna demolish him. I’m gonna rip his head off.
UFC president Dana White admitted he was disappointed to see Aldo pull out of the fight – the most expensively marketed in the sport’s history.
“Jose Aldo’s pulled out of five title fights,” White said flatly, “Conor’s ready to go, the number one guy Chad Mendes is ready to go. It makes sense. They’ll fight for the interim title and whenever Jose Aldo is ready, then that fight can happen to unify.”
‘Before I had a chance to beat him physically’
McGregor, ever a case study in positive thinking, did not wish to appear disappointed and instead claimed Aldo’s withdrawal as a mental victory before he and Mendes contest ‘the real belt’ in Las Vegas in 10 days’ time.
“If a man is scared for his life we cannot force him to step in and face me,” said the Irish star, “I feel that he is afraid, the doctors have cleared him to fight. It’s a bruise, but he has still pulled out.
Rightfully so the belt has been taken from him and we will contest the interim belt – in my opinion, the real belt.
McGregor added: “I feel he was beaten mentally before I had a chance to beat him physically, so… I felt during the world tour that he was looking for his way out. Thankfully for him, his coach, his team: they have found their way out.”
Aldo's scared for his life, Mendes will be unconscious after 4 minutes - McGregor
IRELAND’S CONOR MCGREGOR has predicted a four-minute, first round stoppage when he faces number one challenger Chad Mendes at UFC 189 on 11 July.
McGregor and Mendes will contest the interim featherweight title after reigning champion Jose Aldo last night withdrew from the scheduled bout with McGregor after suffering a bruised rib in training last week.
The Dubliner insists that the change in opponent doesn’t matter, saying
“The opponent is an illusion in there. It’s you versus you.
“It does not matter who’s across from me 11 July, I will charge forward, I will put the pressure on and I will get the victory.”
After predicting a four-minute win over the Brazilian champion, McGregor, speaking on SportsCentre, was asked to predict the bout with Mendes.
“I’ll give Mendes – I think the two of them are similar – four minutes of the first round.
“Like I said, the opponent is an illusion. The shots I’ve visualised landing on Jose, I visualise landing on Chad. After four minutes of the first round, Chad will be unconscious.”
UFC president Dana White admitted he was disappointed to see Aldo pull out of the fight – the most expensively marketed in the sport’s history.
“Jose Aldo’s pulled out of five title fights,” White said flatly, “Conor’s ready to go, the number one guy Chad Mendes is ready to go. It makes sense. They’ll fight for the interim title and whenever Jose Aldo is ready, then that fight can happen to unify.”
‘Before I had a chance to beat him physically’
McGregor, ever a case study in positive thinking, did not wish to appear disappointed and instead claimed Aldo’s withdrawal as a mental victory before he and Mendes contest ‘the real belt’ in Las Vegas in 10 days’ time.
“If a man is scared for his life we cannot force him to step in and face me,” said the Irish star, “I feel that he is afraid, the doctors have cleared him to fight. It’s a bruise, but he has still pulled out.
McGregor added: “I feel he was beaten mentally before I had a chance to beat him physically, so… I felt during the world tour that he was looking for his way out. Thankfully for him, his coach, his team: they have found their way out.”
The UFC have wasted no time in releasing a promo for McGregor versus Mendes
Here’s what you should know about Conor McGregor’s new opponent
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Chad Mendes Conor McGregor Dana White Jose Aldo MMA New Face PREDICTION UFC UFC 189