And new Champion of the World Connor McGregor!!!

[Buffalo Barbarian]

This stinks I was really looking forward to the Irishmen smashing the Brazilian. O'well I guess McGregor will have smash Mendes instead.

 

 

“It’s his [Aldo’s] decision,” White said. “I don’t feel great about it. We’ve spent a lot of money promoting this fight. A lot of people are excited about the fight, so it’s definitely disappointing.”

McGregor, who joined White on SportsCenter, believes that no interim label should be attached to the title at stake when he and Mendes collide.

“If a man is scared for his life, we cannot force him to step inside and face me. I feel he is afraid. The doctors have cleared him to fight -- it’s a bruise. He has still pulled out,” McGregor said. “Rightfully so, the belt should be taken from him and we should contest for the interim belt. Or, in my opinion, the real belt.”

 

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Jose-Aldo-Withdraws-from-UFC-189-Conor-McGregor-Meets-Chad-Mendes-for-Interim-Title-88489

Edited July 12, 2015 by Buffalo Barbarian

[LB3]

This match up is much worse for McGregor. He hasn't had to face any good wrestlers in the UFC and Mendes is one of the best in the featherweight division. If McGregor doesn't catch Mendes early, I don't see this fight going well for him.

[Alaska Darin]

This match up is much worse for McGregor. He hasn't had to face any good wrestlers in the UFC and Mendes is one of the best in the featherweight division. If McGregor doesn't catch Mendes early, I don't see this fight going well for him.

Agreed. We're going to find out very early in this fight how it's going to go.

[LB3]

Aldo released his x-rays which appear to show that he did in fact have a broken rib. He had something to say to McGregor as well...

 

...If he beats Chad Mendes, the only thing he will have is a toy belt to show his drunk friends in his countrys bars, because thats what an interim belt represents to me: a toy. I am the champion.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/jose-aldo-critical-of-ufc-189-interim-title-fight--mocks-conor-mcgregor-again-021411532-mma.html

[John from Riverside]

I dont know man....I dont really consider any of these MMA guys "wimps" or "scared"

 

They are pretty much all beasts.....lots of respect for them.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

This match up is much worse for McGregor. He hasn't had to face any good wrestlers in the UFC and Mendes is one of the best in the featherweight division. If McGregor doesn't catch Mendes early, I don't see this fight going well for him.

 

McGrogor is an animal. We see him strike a lot but his ground game is solid, I honestly feel Connor is going roll through Mendes just like everybody else.

[LB3]

 

McGrogor is an animal. We see him strike a lot but his ground game is solid, I honestly feel Connor is going roll through Mendes just like everybody else.

You can't really call his ground game solid because it hasn't really ever been tested. His only two losses were 1st round submissions. He could roll through Mendes of he catches him, but Mendes has just as much power in his hands and is quicker. Conor hasn't fought a top 5 fighter yet. The dropoff from Aldo, Mendes and Edgar to the next tier of fighters is incredibly large so all of them roll through the lesser competition. Hell, Mendes just ran through Lamas who is ranked 5th and just fought for the belt last year. Edited July 2, 2015 by LBSeeBallLBGetBall

[Buffalo Barbarian]

You can't really call his ground game solid because it hasn't really ever been tested. His only two losses were 1st round submissions. He could roll through Mendes of he catches him, but Mendes has just as much power in his hands and is quicker. Conor hasn't fought a top 5 fighter yet. The dropoff from Aldo, Mendes and Edgar to the next tier of fighters is incredibly large so all of them roll through the lesser competition. Hell, Mendes just ran through Lamas who is ranked 5th and just fought for the belt last year.

 

trust me Connor rolls through him

[LB3]

 

trust me Connor rolls through him

We'll see. My money is on Mendes. I'm also taking MacDonald over Lawler which isn't being talked about because of Conor's gift on the mic. It should also be a great fight.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

We'll see. My money is on Mendes. I'm also taking MacDonald over Lawler which isn't being talked about because of Conor's gift on the mic. It should also be a great fight.

 

That is a good fight and a good card overall, although I don't know why that are having a fightnight the next day on Sunday.

 

They already fought with a split decision going to Lawler. I remember watching that fight and I thought Lawler clearly won the fight so I'm going with him again. McDonald is a star on the rise but not quite to the level of his fellow countryman GSP, who I wish would come back but I don't think he is mentally strong enough anymore. George, for some strange reason, was losing his confidence the more he kept winning, I guess the win streak was getting to him.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Watched the fights at Buffalo Wild Wings in Henrietta (Rochester) last night. Ranch chicken sandwich was great; very tender good flavor, the parmesan garlic sauce had too much flavor, which I thought I would never say, basically too salty after taste.

 

Really thought Rory was going to win the title from Lawler but when he dropped with a broken face it was all over.

 

McGregor did as I expected although he needed to work on his escapes from the ground, but knowing him he was enjoying elbowing Mendes in the head even though he was on the bottom. I've never seen a fighter talk so much trash during a fight, which normally turns me off but being Irish I'm biased. He was very gracious after the fight so he didn't come off as a total Dbag.

 

This kid is going to rule for a long time, Aldo is going to be an after thought after he loses to McGregor.

[Howard]

How can he be the champion when he hasn't even played in a real game yet for the Oilers? Sure he was selected first overall, but let's wait for the season to start in October.

[LB3]

Watched the fights at Buffalo Wild Wings in Henrietta (Rochester) last night. Ranch chicken sandwich was great; very tender good flavor, the parmesan garlic sauce had too much flavor, which I thought I would never say, basically too salty after taste.

 

Really thought Rory was going to win the title from Lawler but when he dropped with a broken face it was all over.

 

McGregor did as I expected although he needed to work on his escapes from the ground, but knowing him he was enjoying elbowing Mendes in the head even though he was on the bottom. I've never seen a fighter talk so much trash during a fight, which normally turns me off but being Irish I'm biased. He was very gracious after the fight so he didn't come off as a total Dbag.

 

This kid is going to rule for a long time, Aldo is going to be an after thought after he loses to McGregor.

McGregor's takedown defense was crap. He bottom game wasn't that good either. The elbows he landed from bottom that caused the most damage were illegal 12-6 elbows. He was warned for it, but the damage was done. The biggest reason McGregor won was because Mendes gassed badly. If Mendes had more than two weeks to get his cardio together, he would have destroyed McGregor IMO. He went 5 rounds against Aldo with no endurance problems. McGregor vs Edgar/Aldo should be fun.

[Alaska Darin]

McGregor's takedown defense was crap. He bottom game wasn't that good either. The elbows he landed from bottom that caused the most damage were illegal 12-6 elbows. He was warned for it, but the damage was done. The biggest reason McGregor won was because Mendes gassed badly. If Mendes had more than two weeks to get his cardio together, he would have destroyed McGregor IMO. He went 5 rounds against Aldo with no endurance problems. McGregor vs Edgar/Aldo should be fun.

I agree with pretty much everything you said but with a couple of minor caveats:

 

1. Mendes was also hurt. The early body shots took something out of him. I refuse to believe that a UFC fighter who is in that kind of shape is showing signs of being gassed midway through the first round.

2. It's pretty obvious CM didn't prepare much to be on his back because he was preparing for Aldo and that fight would have been standing pretty much guaranteed. If he were to fight Mendes again his camp would be filled with wrestlers who would go after him one after another. I doubt he did much takedown defense in preparation for Aldo.

[Maury Ballstein]

Buffalo Wild Wings garlic Parmesan is crap.

[LB3]

I agree with pretty much everything you said but with a couple of minor caveats:

 

1. Mendes was also hurt. The early body shots took something out of him. I refuse to believe that a UFC fighter who is in that kind of shape is showing signs of being gassed midway through the first round.

2. It's pretty obvious CM didn't prepare much to be on his back because he was preparing for Aldo and that fight would have been standing pretty much guaranteed. If he were to fight Mendes again his camp would be filled with wrestlers who would go after him one after another. I doubt he did much takedown defense in preparation for Aldo.

You make fair points.

 

1. I watched the fight again earlier and I didn't see any strike that looked like it could have affected his cardio that badly. It did look like he had an adrenaline dump (McGregor too to an extent) and that didn't help. Even being in shape like Mendes was, being ready for a 5 round fight like this on two weeks notice will affect his cardio. I think many things factored into his gassing.

 

2. You're right. I'm sure he didn't spend a ton of time on takedown defense preparing for Aldo. McGregor could have prepared better for a wrestler with more time, but preparing for a wrestler like Mendes would take years of training. McGregor seems like the type of athlete who can adapt, it'll just take time. This fight could end up being a great lesson for Conor. He'll be more likely to get his wrestling on point, because he sees what can happen against an elite wrestler, even a gassed one.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

How can he be the champion when he hasn't even played in a real game yet for the Oilers? Sure he was selected first overall, but let's wait for the season to start in October.

Wrong sport bro

McGregor's takedown defense was crap. He bottom game wasn't that good either. The elbows he landed from bottom that caused the most damage were illegal 12-6 elbows. He was warned for it, but the damage was done. The biggest reason McGregor won was because Mendes gassed badly. If Mendes had more than two weeks to get his cardio together, he would have destroyed McGregor IMO. He went 5 rounds against Aldo with no endurance problems. McGregor vs Edgar/Aldo should be fun.

I see your just a hater, get used to seeing McGregor driving you insane for yrs to come.

[Alaska Darin]

You make fair points.

 

1. I watched the fight again earlier and I didn't see any strike that looked like it could have affected his cardio that badly. It did look like he had an adrenaline dump (McGregor too to an extent) and that didn't help. Even being in shape like Mendes was, being ready for a 5 round fight like this on two weeks notice will affect his cardio. I think many things factored into his gassing.

 

2. You're right. I'm sure he didn't spend a ton of time on takedown defense preparing for Aldo. McGregor could have prepared better for a wrestler with more time, but preparing for a wrestler like Mendes would take years of training. McGregor seems like the type of athlete who can adapt, it'll just take time. This fight could end up being a great lesson for Conor. He'll be more likely to get his wrestling on point, because he sees what can happen against an elite wrestler, even a gassed one.

I don't think there's any question he needs to work on his ground game to stay at the top of the UFC. Someone like Sherk in his prime would take him down and hump him for 5 rounds and probably make it look easy.

 

I really want to see him fight Edgar.

[LB3]

I see your just a hater, get used to seeing McGregor driving you insane for yrs to come.

Hater? Nah. I think he's great for the UFC. I just strongly believe Mendes would win if they both came in with equal camps training for each other. McGregor has proven he deserves to be grouped with the other 3 at the top of the division. They are all basically in a different league from everyone else. Should be a fun couple years for that division.

[LB3]

I don't think there's any question he needs to work on his ground game to stay at the top of the UFC. Someone like Sherk in his prime would take him down and hump him for 5 rounds and probably make it look easy.

 

I really want to see him fight Edgar.

I'd really like to see him fight Edgar as well. McGregor will either have to beat Aldo or Aldo will have to be out long enough for McGregor to have to defend his interim belt though. Frankie is the #1 contender (he was before Mendes fought McGregor) and is in line for a title shot.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Sherk?! please (and I'm fan of his)

 

He will own Edger too, He does need to work on his wresting but it's better than Silva's and he did pretty good for a striker. McGregor has got "IT" and is going to be around for awhile (wonder if he can play QB too?)

[LB3]

Sherk?! please (and I'm fan of his)

 

He will own Edger too, He does need to work on his wresting but it's better than Silva's and he did pretty good for a striker. McGregor has got "IT" and is going to be around for awhile (wonder if he can play QB too?)

[Alaska Darin]

Sherk?! please (and I'm fan of his)

 

He will own Edger too, He does need to work on his wresting but it's better than Silva's and he did pretty good for a striker. McGregor has got "IT" and is going to be around for awhile (wonder if he can play QB too?)

[Buffalo Barbarian]

[LB3]

Rousey about to crush this woman.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Rousey about to crush this woman.

 

yep and did

[LB3]

I can't wait for the fights this weekend.

 

Tomorrow's free card, The Ultimate Fighter Finale, likely won't be as good as the Saturday ppv but Edgar vs Mendes should be insanely fun to watch. Mendes has the power advantage in the striking department, but Edgar is great technically. I want Edgar to win, but he and Mendes have very similar styles and strengths so I have to give Mendes the nod because of his power. Edwin Barbosa vs Tony Ferguson (main card) and Joe "Bonus" Lauzon vs Evan Dunham (prelim) should be pretty fun fights as well.

 

UFC 194 on Saturday is going to be nuts!

 

Aldo vs McGregor is more hyped than any fight I can remember. I normally don't buy into the hype the much, but this one has got me. Aldo hates McGregor. McGregor loves McGregor. They are both dangerous as hell. Aldo is more well rounded but McGregor might have a little more power. McGregor also has a ton of momentum. I can't wait to see how McGregor holds up against the best leg kicks in the game. Beating Mendes was impressive even if it was on short notice, but this fight will truly show everyone who McGregor really is.

 

The co main event is another monster on a McGregor card. Last time we got the welterweight title fight, this time it's the middleweight. Weidman vs Rockhold would be a great main event on it's own, but it's great marketing to get them the extra exposure a McGregor card brings. This fight should be great. They both have good ground games so it should primarily be a stand up fight. Weidman has put his stamp on the division with big marquee victories over Silva (x2), Machida and Belfort. Rockhold just recently destroyed Machida like no one else really has. Jones beat him soundly, but Rockhold ran through him. I expect a war.

 

Yoel Romero vs Jacare Souza in the middleweight #1 contender fight should be interesting. Romero is a gold medal Olympic wrestler, but taking Jacare to the ground should be the last thing he would want to do. I'm curious to see his gameplan.

 

Should be an awesome weekend of fights.

 

My picks in the fights i mentioned:

 

Aldo

Weidman

Souza

Mendes

Barbosa

Dunham (please avoid getting finished)

Edited December 10, 2015 by LBSeeBallLBGetBall

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I can't wait for the fights this weekend.

 

Tomorrow's free card, The Ultimate Fighter Finale, likely won't be as good as the Saturday ppv but Edgar vs Mendes should be insanely fun to watch. Mendes has the power advantage in the striking department, but Edgar is great technically. I want Edgar to win, but he and Mendes have very similar styles and strengths so I have to give Mendes the nod because of his power. Edwin Barbosa vs Tony Ferguson (main card) and Joe "Bonus" Lauzon vs Evan Dunham (prelim) should be pretty fun fights as well.

 

UFC 194 on Saturday is going to be nuts!

 

Aldo vs McGregor is more hyped than any fight I can remember. I normally don't buy into the hype the much, but this one has got me. Aldo hates McGregor. McGregor loves McGregor. They are both dangerous as hell. Aldo is more well rounded but McGregor might have a little more power. McGregor also has a ton of momentum. I can't wait to see how McGregor holds up against the best leg kicks in the game. Beating Mendes was impressive even if it was on short notice, but this fight will truly show everyone who McGregor really is.

 

The co main event is another monster on a McGregor card. Last time we got the welterweight title fight, this time it's the middleweight. Weidman vs Rockhold would be a great main event on it's own, but it's great marketing to get them the extra exposure a McGregor card brings. This fight should be great. They both have good ground games so it should primarily be a stand up fight. Weidman has put his stamp on the division with big marquee victories over Silva (x2), Machida and Belfort. Rockhold just recently destroyed Machida like no one else really has. Jones beat him soundly, but Rockhold ran through him. I expect a war.

 

Yoel Romero vs Jacare Souza in the middleweight #1 contender fight should be interesting. Romero is a gold medal Olympic wrestler, but taking Jacare to the ground should be the last thing he would want to do. I'm curious to see his gameplan.

 

Should be an awesome weekend of fights.

 

My picks in the fights i mentioned:

 

Aldo

Weidman

Souza

Mendes

Barbosa

Dunham (please avoid getting finished)

 

outstanding fight card this weekend and McGregor is going to crush Aldo, can't wait!!

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Buffalo Wild Wings garlic Parmesan is crap.

Mango Habanero brotha. Where it's at...

[LB3]

Well, I'm 1-2 in predictions so far. Mendes looked shook before the fight even started. He started to get comfortable, but soon after it was over. Awesome job by Frankie! He better get the next title fight.

[Pete]

please post updates

[Maury Ballstein]

Mcgregor wins in .00000004 seconds.

[John from Riverside]

Holy ****!

[LB3]

Wow

[Zona]

Aldo looked scared as Shite! I love it....

[Buffalo Barbarian]

a little bit behind but..... BOOM JUST LIKE THAT !!!! Man never seen first punch take out a guy.

 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My boy McGregor !!!!!!

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Sux that my other boy Weidman lost. He was doing good until Rockhold took him down then it was all over after that.

[26CornerBlitz]

[Johnny Hammersticks]

a little bit behind but..... BOOM JUST LIKE THAT !!!! Man never seen first punch take out a guy.

 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My boy McGregor !!!!!!

You just like watching him prance around in those shorts.

[Alaska Darin]

Man never seen first punch take out a guy.

And you still haven't.