In a recent interview, MMA featherweight champion Conor McGregor said that getting another belt doesn’t really matter to him.
“It’s always a superfight when I’m in town. This is the numbers and straps life. You take out the strap, it’s still the numbers life. So that’s it – I’m still here for a fight,” McGregor said during the post-workout interview that he’s doing in preparation for his upcoming fight in UFC 196.
McGregor, who has a record of 19-2 MMA and 7-0 UFC and is now the UFC’s featherweight champ, is expected to make some noise this coming Saturday when he faces Rafael dos Anjos inside the cage. Unfortunately, RDA backed out from the fight due to a broken foot.
Instead, McGregor will be going up against Nate Diaz in the welterweight division to headline the PPV main card event this Saturday. The said fight will be aired after the prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. The featherweight champion was even tagged a 5-1 favorite of the said event.
“Let’s see: Can this man fight? He’s talked a fair bit. If you’ve been following me or him, you know there’s been subtle digs over the course of the last year, maybe two years, where he’s going to say this, he’s going to say that. Now all of a sudden, he’s a scared little brother of some sorts. Let’s see what he has to say. I’m here for a fight and a check and that’s it. (Expletive) the belt,” McGregor said.
McGregor initially planned to fight in the lightweight division and if he does win over RDA, he would consider going up even further to the welterweight division. Now that RDA is out of the game, McGregor still went ahead and sealed an MMA fight in the welterweight division. Will McGregor ever return to featherweight?
“I can go back to 145, no problem. Who is there? Let me see some of these damn bums get up and fight and make some noise. I just hear crying, complaining, pleas, begging, all this (expletive). I don’t see nothing appealing. They need to build themselves up right now. I’m sitting pretty up here. They need to fight and make some noise. Make me stand up and say, ‘OK. I’ll take him in.’ That’s what I need to see. Because right now, I see nothing. I see a bunch of complainers, whiners. ‘I’m not fighting him, I’m waiting, I’m sitting out.’ When have I ever waited? I’ve never waited once – even now. The title shot’s gone. Did I wait? No. I had the title shot after (beating Dustin) Poirier. Did I wait? No. I took the (Dennis) Siver fight. That’s what champions do. That’s what generates interest. I’m a hungry mother(expletive) that does not care who is in his way. I just see a lot of crying, complaining babies in the game right now. I’ll take Nate out, and I’ll sit and I’ll wait and see who pops out,” McGregor added.
