Updated at 11.59am
CONOR McGREGOR WILL get his shot at UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but it won’t happen at Croke Park.
UFC President Dana White has said the pair will clash in a high-profile title bout in Las Vegas this May. No date was specified, but Saturday the 23rd looks likely.
McGregor took his UFC record to 5-0 in the early hours of this morning when he dismantled a game Dennis Siver en route to a TKO stoppage in the second round.
Afterwards, the 26-year-old Dubliner approached Aldo who was sitting cage-side. They were kept apart, but the incident only served to heighten the anticipation ahead of a fight that will be the biggest in the four-year history of the UFC featherweight division.
Croke Park was rumoured to be a potential venue for the contest, but Dana White confirmed in this morning’s post-event press conference in Boston that there are currently several factors that prevent GAA headquarters from being a viable option.
“We’re looking at May in Vegas,” White said. “There’s a lot of obstacles for Croke Park. They have a curfew at night where you can’t get permits to stay out that late and do an event there.
“You lose about 25-to-30 percent on pay-per-view, being in another country. There’s the amount of money on production for Croke Park, and I guarantee you it’s going to rain. I’m not saying we’re never going to do it, but Vegas for this one.”
White also explained that in spite of the enormous potential attendance Croke Park could cater for, gate receipts for an event in Las Vegas would still be significantly larger.
“You’d actually do a bigger gate in Vegas, probably two million dollars more. When you’re in a stadium that big, the production costs… We’ve got to put up big screens, we’ve definitely got to build something over the octagon because it will rain… There are a lot of things you have to do in an arena like that that you wouldn’t do in Vegas.”
McGregor, who clinched a Performance of the Night bonus for his display, said: “Of course, the stadium is a dream of mine, a vision of mine. But Vegas, I’m happy with Vegas. We’re going to go to Las Vegas and one more head will be collected.
“They all think it’s fun and games, but I’m not playing here. Now we have a location, now Jose is next in line, he will be the next one to learn that it’s not all talk and it’s no joke. I’m not messing around here.”
Originally published at 8.20am
Great job copying and pasting the complete article from the Munster website. Gold star for Sinead
@Barry McGarry: Winning formula
@Barry McGarry: You have to pay for that level of journalism
@John Fitz: I believe it’s called churnalism now. UCD supposedly do an excellent degree in copy and pasting
@Barry McGarry: it’s usually a press release, Munster copy it to their own website and journalists copy it to their Web pages as the info is as per the sender and would be expected to be accurate.
@Stephen Byrne: I will sleep better tonight knowing that
Where are all the Munster fans complaining about Leinster’s signings now?
@Dave Moran: Still hurting from Saturday arvo david ?
@Dave Moran: welcome back you little weasel. You replied to the article yesterday with the exact same question. Is Dave getting forgetful? I suppose I’d want to forget Saturday too
@Dave Moran: Your comment below is not holding up well …
Hard luck to Tony and all other La Rogelle fans.
Leinster are unstoppable.
@Lulu: did you forget Saturday too? Unstoppable my hole
@Dave Moran: Munster living rent free in your head
@Barry McGarry: Forget a brilliant game between the two best teams in Europe? My comment also has nothing to do with that game, but in fact signings. Munster havent been to a european final in 15 years so you dont have to worry about forgetting european finals
@Dave Moran: your back from the Annual minutes Silence at Brown Thomas
@Liam23: gold ✨️
@Liam23: Back from London would be more accurate. Have better things to be doing than posting on the 42 straight after the game.
@Dave Moran: well considering the chirping you were doing Saturday during the day, Leinster only had to show up. One Champions Cup in 12 years with the most expensive squad in Europe, I wouldn’t feel like posting here either if I were you
@Dave Moran: So if we are so rubbish why sign our players all the time ?
And 3 years no trophy that must hurt big fella?
@Dave Moran: did you go to Self Selfridges on your dubs on tour ?
@Dave Moran: rent free
@damien reidy: 16 years without a champions cup must hurt
@Barry McGarry: I predicted a Toulouse win you gobsh*te
I would rather see the money spent on a quality LH as it’s a position we’re a bit light on.
@TL55: unfortunately there’s no decent IQ options available and the IRFU won’t give approval to sign an NIQ
@Barry McGarry: Which is daft imo. I can understand limiting the overall number of NIQ players a province can have but a province should be able to sign one in that position. The result in this case is that Dave Kilcoyne who has been consistently injured over the last several seasons has had his contract renewed. If he can stay fit he’d be a very useful member of the squad but based on recent history that’s a big if.
@TL55: oh I know. Let’s hope David Humphreys rules a little clearer than Nucifora who seemed to make it up as he went along. A couple of season back Munster sought dispensation for an NIQ prop and were rejected. Nucifora said he wouldn’t sanction any NIQ front row players for any province. The following season Ulster signed Rory Sutherland and Jacob Toomaga Allen on season long deals and then announced Kitshoff on a three year deal. Leinster also signed Al’alatoa at the same time. Infuriating really
By my count Okeke is the only Year 3 academy player not accounted for. Any news on that?
@John Fitz: coventry i think
@John Fitz: Yes, was announced a couple of weeks back he was finished with the province. Coventry announced yesterday they have signed him for next season
@John Fitz: I think Daniel is going to get let go … shame because the game against Wasps during covid it looked like he was on a fast train to the first team
@damien reidy: We’re fairly stacked in the back row. POM, Coombes, Kendellan, Gleeson, Hodnett, O’Donoghue, Quinn, O’Sullivan and Sean Edogbo likely to to join them. Injuries did help his cause.
@damien reidy: Wasn’t bad in the 20 minute cameo at Quinns either. shame to see him off without much of a shot. Worked for Bierne, maybe we see him back.
@Thesaltyurchin: Just think the timing was bad for him .. I’m sure he will do well at Cov they have a good team and he will get game time