ARTEM LOBOV PAID tribute to Conor McGregor last night after picking up his second win under the banner of the UFC.
Lobov put on a convincing display as he recorded a unanimous-decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) against Teruto Ishihara on the main card at UFC Fight Night 99 at Belfast’s SSE Arena.
He was joined in the octagon afterwards by jubilant team-mate Conor McGregor. Lobov has been the main sparring partner of the reigning UFC featherweight and lightweight champion at Straight Blast Gym in Dublin in recent years.
“I’m confident going in there against anyone,” Lobov said. “You can put a tiger in there with me because Conor [McGregor] gives me that confidence from facing him for many, many years and I’m still here and I’m still pretty. Like I’ve said since day one, anyone, any time, any place. I’ve been that way since day one and I’ll stay that way until the end.”
Having started his time in the UFC with a pair of losses, Lobov will now enter 2017 on the back of two consecutive victories. He also overcame Chris Avila at UFC 202 in Las Vegas back in August.
Born in Russia but living in Ireland for the past 13 years, Lobov holds dual citizenship and his win brought the loudest cheer of the night from the 7,222 fans in Belfast. The 30-year-old was also surprised that Ishihara lasted the distance.
Lobov said: “The Irish fans, and the Russians, support me through thick and thin. Many of them supported me despite the losses and I owed them this one. I owed them a good fight. I wanted to put a cherry on the cake and get a knockout, but next time.
“I swear to God, next time I’m going to get that KO. I was surprised I didn’t knock him out. I caught him a few times and I felt his legs wobble, but he stayed in there. The Japanese are tough, they are samurais.”
Lobov’s win marked a night of mixed fortunes for SBG at the SSE Arena. Welterweight debutant Charlie Ward suffered a first-round KO defeat to Abdul Razak Alhassan. In the main event Gegard Mousasi avenged last year’s loss to Uriah Hall with a first-round TKO.
Amidst all the complaints about traffic etc on Sunday, I’m genuinely excited to see a state of the art, modern GAA venue this weekend. Looks fantastic.
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: Having said that, those seats in the North Stand at the Blackrock End look to have their views severely obscured…?
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: trying to put negativity aside it’s very hard to call this a state of the art modern stadium. It has one new stand that is modern but basic by international standards. The rest is a concrete bowel with no facilities that was designed in 1976 and rebuilt identically. Half the stadium is terraced. It’s new but that’s about it.
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: Great views from all around especially the North stand. Found it better sheltered and gave an overall better view
I think it looks fantastic. The floodlight design and seat colouring look a bit like London Olympic stadium. Look forward to seeing the game at the weekend.
@Evan Geoghegan: a boy kev nev
Be nice when you buy a stand ticket on a wet day only to get soaked because there are no sides on the stands.
@Ruairi O’Bric: must be awful to be so miserable about life Ruairi.
They have done a very nice job.
@MK76: how is pointing out the obvious being miserable?
@Ruairi O’Bric: Passive aggressive then. Either way, you’re hardly a beacon of sunshine and light.
@Ruairi O’Bric: Rain, poor you, wear a jacket
Could have made it new and modern but made it pretty standard
I think the stadium looks bang average. Design isn’t very modern and you still have 2 uncovered ends. What is it with Ireland and the way we design and build stadia. Did I read it cost €80 million?
Lack of big screen seems an over sight
@Pádraic Ó Maoláin: well they went €16million over budget without including the Astro pitch scope so they hardly had room for luxuries like a large tv! “Sure what would they want that for when de game is right of front of them huh”
@Leo Erah: That’s nonsense. The whole thing is new. Not just one stand. Bizarre statement.
@Kieran Lynch: the design is anything but new. No imagination at all. Two uncovered 70s style terraces. One stand double the size of the other. For the money they spent they could have had a fully enclosed stadium, with covered terracing.
@Pa Burke: It’s still a new stadium though. Design issues is another argument.
@Pa Burke: It’s still pretty cool all the same.
@Kieran Lynch: it is what it is. It’s a damn sight better than as lot of other county grounds, but for me, after spending 80m it’s disappointing.
@Pa Burke:”For the money they spent they could have had a fully enclosed stadium with covered terracing” And where would they have got that Pa?? Woodies DIY :-).I have not seen it yet but their seems to be alot of negativity around, and not quite sure if it is towards the stadium, the County board, or Cork in general?.Right or wrong it is their to stay and the most important thing now, is we keep producing quality young hurlers and footballers to play in it for years to come.
@Kieran Lynch: the stadium was rebuilt from scratch so it is new, I never said otherwise. Unfortunately 3 of the 4 stands were rebuilt identically to the design from 1976. A 40 year old design. There is a new 40m stand that by modern standards is plain and the rest of the stadium is as you were except for a bit of roof on the north stand. The whole thing is a travesty and an example of how not to rebuild a stadium.
@John Carroll: I never mentioned the board or cork in general. The design of the stadium is embarrassinly Irish. The fact that Cork will be playing in a 70s style stadium for another 40 years is depressing.
https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/grounds-for-concern/
@Pa Burke: Not a prayer for 80 million. Stadium you are shopping for would cost 3 or 4 times that.
A crowd of 10,000 turned up… for the first 10 minutes
Nice evening and a very good first half of hurling. (Apparently). View from both sides is good, plenty of space between seats and upper tier is not crazy Croke Park high. Pitch looks good and approach concourse and 4 G pitch is impressive. The same issues persist though, no parking other than on street within 15 mins walk, difficult to get in to and away from. I don’t think there will be enough toilets to cater for large crowds and few food options. If you get there, you will have a grand view, the location is still the biggest issue though.
@DJ Cronin: apparently a new traffic management system is being introduced because it was a part of the planning permission. The black ash park and ride is being mooted with gaa buses to the stadium. Will be some laugh trying to get the old school cork GAA clowns to buy into that one.
Agree also on the facilities comment but really what did people expect, most of the stadium bar he new stand is the same as pre upgrade and has no food/bar facilities. This is nothing like thomond/crowe park/aviva etc.
@Leo Erah: traffic management? We don’t need no steenking traffic management
@Leo Erah: 13 bars in fact.