Seamus Raftery examines the history of crossover clashes between boxers and mixed martial artists. Conor McGregor is the most headline hogging athlete in the world today. This week, he has been all over the news due to the chaos surrounding UFC 189. Yesterday, he was grabbing the limelight for a different reason, however. Whilst a guest on, American chat show, …
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We can’t fault his self belief! The Irish UFC Featherweight faces Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title at UFC 189 on July 11 and he couldn’t look more confident. Appearing on US talk show Conan, McGregor was asked if he was willing to face pound-for-pound king, boxer Floyd Mayweather. He responded in typical brash fashion. “I know he would not want to …
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Seamus Raftery profiles Conor McGregor’s new UFC 189 opponent, Chad Mendes. The UFC 189 main event had captured the imagination of the general public like few MMA fights ever have. The extensive build up gave us great insight into the mind’s and personalities of the combatants, Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor. The news that Aldo has been forced to pull …
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The last week must have been tough on Conor McGregor, despite what he has been telling the public and the media. This morning however, he will finally have some closure. The UFC announced in the early hours of this morning, that Jose Aldo had officially pulled out of the title bout, scheduled for July 11th in Las Vegas. The identity …
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The betting for UFC 189 has been interesting to say the least. According to John Kavanagh, Conor McGregor was asleep when he went to pass on the news, that Chad Mendes would be on standby in the event Jose Aldo pulled out, of their July 11th title fight. In his camp diary on the42.ie, the head of Straight Blast Gym …
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Two of the greatest trash talkers in the sport put on a show. A wonderfully dressed Conor McGregor was never one to keep his cards close to his chest. On ESPN, he demonstrated what to expect from his July 11 fight against Jose Aldo. “As soon as the bell rings I’m going to go charging forward, open palm, and let the shots fly. …
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Knowing what we know now, this short documentary about Conor McGregor, made prior to his UFC debut, is a fascinating watch. MMA fans, hardcore and casual alike, are by now well accustomed to the sight and sounds of Conor McGregor. We see and hear him everywhere in the run up to his World title challenge against Jose Aldo, scheduled for …
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Conor McGregor is one of the most creative and unorthodox strikers in mixed martial arts, but Jose Aldo and his team feel they have found someone who can emulate the Dubliner’s attacking style. Jonas “Speed” Bilharinho is the featherweight champion of Brazilian based MMA league Jungle Fight. He is 6-0-1 as a professional and as far as team Aldo are …
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The consensus among their peers favours the Brazilian. Fellow UFC and MMA fighters have given their verdict on how the fight on July 11 will go between Champion Jose Aldo and challenger Conor McGregor. In particular, former heavyweight Champ Frank Mir gives a great insight into how the fight might be won and lost. Fighters such as Urijah Faber, Luke Rockhold, …
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The eyes chico… they never lie. The “Notorious” Conor McGregor faces UFC Featherweight Champion Jose “Scarface” Aldo on July 11th. They’ve already held a massive world press tour spanning Brazil, the U.S, Canada, Britain and Ireland; creating hype of biblical proportions months in advance of the fight itself. The video below now has us in convulsions in anticipation of the epic …
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Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo Jr. will go toe to toe for the UFC Featherweight Championship on July 11th, in what is built up to be the fight of the year, but has the trash-talking Dubliner got away with one, by having a title shot without really being tested by a the top 3 contender, including Frankie Edgar. Frankie Edgar, a former …
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Tommy Bowe recently gave his World Rugby XV plus of course a few curveballs from other sports. Some key themes emerge in the XV, with most being chosen out of friendship or fear (Paul O’Connell) we’re looking at you. Great to see Tommy can laugh at his injuries too and because he’s finally fit, he makes the cut in a …
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The punches keep on rolling but not inside the Octagon for one Mr. Jon Jones. If you are an MMA fan there is no doubting that you have already heard about the news of Jon Jones being stripped of the UFC’s light heavyweight title and will no longer compete at UFC 187 against Anthony Johnson. What you may not have …
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With the sudden influx of Irish fighters making their way into the UFC’s Octagon over the last year, we now have one of our very own competing for a world title shot in Conor McGreogr. Fellow SBG teammate Aisling ‘Ais the Bash’ Daly is also seeking gold of her own when she takes on Randa Markos at UFC 186 this weekend. …
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Well, Conor McGregor is at it again. After already stating that his clash with Jose Aldo is bigger than the Pacquiao vs Mayweather bout that the world awaits, the Irishman has now stated that he would finish Mayweather in less than 30 seconds. “I don’t look at a man who’s expert in one area as a specialist,” McGregor said speaking …
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We all know about Jimmy Kimmel’s mean tweets, but wait until you see Conor McGregor’s. Surprisingly, most of the mean tweets came from people with British and Irish names (as you would expect from a British BT Sports show), showing that not everyone in the isle is bowing down to our proud Irish fighter. McGregor got his own shots in …
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With UFC Fight Night Mendes vs. Lamas taking place this weekend and in anticipation of the title bout between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor in July, Pundit Arena takes a closer look at the UFC Featherweight Division. Number 1 ranked contender Chad Mendes takes on number 4 ranked Ricardo Lamas in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Fairfax, Virginia this Saturday, as another two bouts in the most talked about …
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In theory, the World Tour was a great idea. They hype will certainly last. But in truth, the UFC’s maiden voyage in to the ultimate hype game, a World Tour, was often more farcical than fascinating. Eight cities in 12 days is an awful lot of mileage to cover for any human being but when you are promoting …
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