Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz Show Mutual Respect on UFC 202 Call
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz Show Mutual Respect on UFC 202 Call
Never has a UFC pre-fight conference call been so built-up. Nate Diaz on one line, Conor McGregor on the other. To the surprise of well, absolutely no one,
Never has a UFC pre-fight conference call been so built-up. Nate Diaz on one line, Conor McGregor on the other. To the surprise of well, absolutely no one, the insults flew and the tension ratcheted up just a little further. Here were ten best lines from the 45-minute call.
10. Conor on his first UFC loss
"I am an expert in adaptation and overcoming adversity, I have been doing it my whole life. I've faced defeat in all forms of fighting, not just MMA. We win or we learn, that's what my coach John says and that's what we'll do. I gained a valuable experience- usually when I go in and I hit them they go down. The fans are in for a treat and my hand will be raised."
9. Conor on Nate's success
"I taught the kid well, fair play get that money brother. Have a bit of respect, I taught you well, you've gone from $20,000/$20,000 and now you're getting that money."
8. Conor on how sparring with middleweights will help
"When I spar guys in my own division, my own weight they crumble. The bigger guy stays there, the smaller guys aren't there no more. I've had countless rounds and countless hours of people not going away, so that's it."
7. Conor on frequent USADA testing
"I don't know, I'm out in Las Vegas so I guess that's handy. Two days I was tested back to back, by USADA and the NSAC but I don't mind that. I'm happy to be tested. They are all on steroids and that's f*cked up. The co-main and the main of 200, that's f*cked up.
"I'm happy to be tested and I hope Nate's being tested because although he threw an accusation at me it's his team that's popped before. I'll never do an Aldo and throw the piss over my shoulder and call the police, I'm happy to be tested."
6. Conor on if he'll face Aldo at 145 lbs next
"I haven't really spoke to anyone about what's next. Right now I'm 15 days away from a war. I'm looking forward to fighting this man, f*ck everything else. I was glad to see Aldo win against Frankie, I'd felt sorry for him. I spent so much time with that man and it took one shot to the crown to shut his lights out."
5. Conor on Nate's recent press tour
"I know it's something he's always wanted to be doing. I wonder how he's feeling doing all that because it ain't easy. It certainly takes away from what we are and what we do, it is distracting but I'm happy to see him up there. I thought the Kimmel one was pretty funny.
"Look, we deserve everything, we go in there and put it all on the line more than any human being on the planet for your entertainment. We deserve everything for what we do here. Uneducated people who couldn't even lace up a glove come and tell us what we could have done, what we should have done but they couldn't even hold our spit bucket. I'm happy to see it."
4. Conor on Brock Lesnar/WWE
"Those WWE guys are p*ssies. They're messed up p*ssies if you ask me. Fair play to Brock he got in there and fought but he was juiced up to the eye balls so how can I respect that, and the other guy whatever his name is [CM Punk] hasn't even fought yet"
3. Conor on a potential rubber match
"100% [I would consider that]. Of course. Maybe not straight away, but most certainly this will be a trilogy fight. Me and the boy have something, and it ain't finished yet."
2. Nate on his media coverage and big fights
"He talks about all these guys like they're dumb, I'm not dumb. I'm not taking fights just for a contract, I waited six years for my plan. I did what I had to do, I got the fight with Johnson and plotted him. Got the fight with McGregor. I'm not following the leader on taking money fights, I'll just say he was a shortcut"
1. Mystic Mac at it again
"He has a solid chin, he's durable and he has the size and weight on me. I teed off on his head but he weathered the storm. I'm still gonna march forward and press him there's just going to be a lot more in my tank, I'll be a lot more prepared for a man who can stay in there with me. Even still I struggle to see him getting past round 2, I will repay the favor and KO him in round 2."
10. Conor on his first UFC loss
"I am an expert in adaptation and overcoming adversity, I have been doing it my whole life. I've faced defeat in all forms of fighting, not just MMA. We win or we learn, that's what my coach John says and that's what we'll do. I gained a valuable experience- usually when I go in and I hit them they go down. The fans are in for a treat and my hand will be raised."
9. Conor on Nate's success
"I taught the kid well, fair play get that money brother. Have a bit of respect, I taught you well, you've gone from $20,000/$20,000 and now you're getting that money."
8. Conor on how sparring with middleweights will help
"When I spar guys in my own division, my own weight they crumble. The bigger guy stays there, the smaller guys aren't there no more. I've had countless rounds and countless hours of people not going away, so that's it."
7. Conor on frequent USADA testing
"I don't know, I'm out in Las Vegas so I guess that's handy. Two days I was tested back to back, by USADA and the NSAC but I don't mind that. I'm happy to be tested. They are all on steroids and that's f*cked up. The co-main and the main of 200, that's f*cked up.
"I'm happy to be tested and I hope Nate's being tested because although he threw an accusation at me it's his team that's popped before. I'll never do an Aldo and throw the piss over my shoulder and call the police, I'm happy to be tested."
6. Conor on if he'll face Aldo at 145 lbs next
"I haven't really spoke to anyone about what's next. Right now I'm 15 days away from a war. I'm looking forward to fighting this man, f*ck everything else. I was glad to see Aldo win against Frankie, I'd felt sorry for him. I spent so much time with that man and it took one shot to the crown to shut his lights out."
5. Conor on Nate's recent press tour
"I know it's something he's always wanted to be doing. I wonder how he's feeling doing all that because it ain't easy. It certainly takes away from what we are and what we do, it is distracting but I'm happy to see him up there. I thought the Kimmel one was pretty funny.
"Look, we deserve everything, we go in there and put it all on the line more than any human being on the planet for your entertainment. We deserve everything for what we do here. Uneducated people who couldn't even lace up a glove come and tell us what we could have done, what we should have done but they couldn't even hold our spit bucket. I'm happy to see it."
4. Conor on Brock Lesnar/WWE
"Those WWE guys are p*ssies. They're messed up p*ssies if you ask me. Fair play to Brock he got in there and fought but he was juiced up to the eye balls so how can I respect that, and the other guy whatever his name is [CM Punk] hasn't even fought yet"
3. Conor on a potential rubber match
"100% [I would consider that]. Of course. Maybe not straight away, but most certainly this will be a trilogy fight. Me and the boy have something, and it ain't finished yet."
2. Nate on his media coverage and big fights
"He talks about all these guys like they're dumb, I'm not dumb. I'm not taking fights just for a contract, I waited six years for my plan. I did what I had to do, I got the fight with Johnson and plotted him. Got the fight with McGregor. I'm not following the leader on taking money fights, I'll just say he was a shortcut"
1. Mystic Mac at it again
"He has a solid chin, he's durable and he has the size and weight on me. I teed off on his head but he weathered the storm. I'm still gonna march forward and press him there's just going to be a lot more in my tank, I'll be a lot more prepared for a man who can stay in there with me. Even still I struggle to see him getting past round 2, I will repay the favor and KO him in round 2."