IRISH UFC FIGHTER Conor McGregor is focusing on his own gameplan and not his opponent ahead of the upcoming fight in Boston.
The SBG featherweight takes on Hawaiian Max Holloway after an injury to Andy Ogle meant the Englishman was forced to pull out of the 17 August bout.
It will be the 25-year-old’s second UFC appearance after defeat Marcus Brimage with a first round TKO in April and McGregor insists that he will prepare for this fight in the same way – by visualising his own moves and strikes.
“I was supposed to be fighting more of a wrestler, a grinder,” McGregor told the media at a Setanta Sports media event in Dublin yesterday. “Now I’m fighting a Hawaiian who prefers to stand up. I see some good exchanges. I think he’ll give me more exchanges than the last opponent.
But I think I’ll be too strong, too slick and will have too many moves in my locker. I think I could have him out of there by the end of the first round… maybe the second. I’m feeling confident. It’s going to be a fun night representing Ireland.
“I don’t look too much at my opponent. For me, there is no opponent. I am the opponent. I don’t dwell on who the body is in front of me because it can change like that.
“There’s already been a replacement so if I prepare for a certain opponent and he slips on a bar of soap in the shower, there’s a different guy with a different body type and different movement. It can throw your game off. I just prepare for everything and show up trying to learn and improve.”
McGregor looking sharp yesterday. Credit: INPHO/Donall Farmer
McGregor, who recently spent time training in Las Vegas, is set for his US debut at TD Garden and will hope to have the crowd on his side with a strong Irish community in Boston. Over the past six months, he has become the poster boy of Irish MMA and isn’t fazed by the added pressure that brings.
The Irish get behind us,” he said. “We could be losing 6-0 and our fans would get behind us in a packed stadium. I’m just happy to be one of those athletes to be get the support. I don’t dwell on it. If anything, give me more pressure. I carry it all on my shoulders.”
He also added that although he enjoys training in new environment as part of his contract, there would be no need to move away from home to further his career.
“My training is good over here and I don’t need to move abroad. Don’t get me wrong, I will travel and vary my training. But even when we had a team which was only two or three strong, I always felt that these guys are the best.
“My team-mates are the best. My gym is the best. We were in a little freezing cold hall in the middle of Harold’s Cross, before we moved to a little industrial estate with a room which was no bigger than this room.”
UFC 163 will be live and exclusive on Setanta Sports this weekend and UFC fighter Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor was in Dublin today ahead of the event which takes place in the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of Sunday, 4th August 2013. Subscribe now for €19.99 per month either online or by calling our subscriber line on: 0818 20 30 40. From August 1st, Setanta Sports customers will be able to receive BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and the ESPN channel as part of the Setanta Sports Pack. This game changing deal means that Irish UFC fans will be able to watch over 30 live events per year, as well additional UFC programming such the Ultimate Fighter and Inside the Octagon.
Luimneach abu – greatest city and county in Ireland
The limerick footballers are the unluckiest group of footballers to ever kick a ball.
They have actually kicked a ball?
Put your knickers on tuts…
Yeah gearoid. Put your knickers on. Lol flippity reversed.
Thought that would have been us Mayos
How to spot Sports fan from dublin? Hes Sitting in the pub in a Manchester United jersey.
You have a horse parked up outside the stadium.
lol,brilliant.
Careful now or they will remove your comment that was good and received loads of green thumbs
I’d watch that Munster try over and over again. Still the only Irish team to have beaten the All Blacks and would have done it again had the Irish players been released the last time!
Even as a Meath man I still find it hard to watch the highlights of the five minute final.
I have to say I’m very proud of my Munster cousins. They are exemplary fans. Apart from the guys who insist on wearing the Munster jersey to Ireland games. The worst was when we were in Cardiff picking up the grand slam, this clown was sittin there lookin like a welsh supporter.
Anyway good on ya lads
Although ye broke Waterford hearts in 08, it’d still be great to see Lk back at the top table of hurling. some great young lads coming through.
Sorry 07. Big fingers!
There isn’t a nicer place to watch a game than the open stand on a sunny day.
Great to see a positive article about sporting Limerick. Lots of those points made me smile. Looking forward to having even better memories in future.
Too true. Limerick gets a raw deal in the Dublin media.
Limerick gets a raw deal with ALL media. And even worse with the Limerick media – who do you think feeds it to them.
Delighted to see a positive article about Limerick.
Not surprised to see the same old tired cliches.
Some very mature comments there!
Hard to believe lads like ciaran carey , gary kirby , mark foley never won an all ireland. Good bunch of young lads there now though and I reckon there could be an all ireland in them in the next couple of years.
96 was worse than 94…liam dunne took Gary Kirby out….still should have put them away…no excuses…….some party when we bring it home…hopefully in my lifetime!
I feel your pain lad.
No. 14….so true! Met the Claw in Ballybunion (i.e Limerick-on-Sea) one summer, it made my life. ‘Hon the Shannonsiders!
The Bull is the embodiment of a rugby legend!!
Limerick on Sea is actually killkee
And before Coonagh it was the back pitch in Thomond Park :-)
There are plenty of kiwi’s who deny they were even in Ireland in ’78 their still traumatised.
Ain’t it sad all the same that such an utterly fantastic sporting county has had its image blighted by the goings on of the minority of lowlifes down there.
John galvin made darragh look pedestrian at times. Some man to field a ball and fist a point ;-)
Was at the Killenny/Limerick all ireland final and the most terrifying toothless Limerick was standing in the hill! He tried to start a fight with everyone and by the end had a LOT of space to himself :D
He’s the only Limerick fan I remember :D
Crazy dude!!!
He must have been if he’s the only Limerick fan u can remember out of the 50 odd thousand that were there that day!
Disgusted in ’07 ,it wasn’t Limerick that beat us, it was Cork shame our final in ’08 came a year too late
Limerick the only place where 2 fellas with bags over their heads can be national icons!