Sunday night, after all the footballs had been tucked away for safekeeping, UFC Fight Night 59 was there to close out the weekend. “The Notorious” Conor McGregor took center stage Sunday as he looked to secure his position as number one contender to featherweight champion Jose Aldo’s title. Being as much as a 15 to 1 betting favorite it was no surprise that McGregor easily dispatched of his opponent, Dennis Siver, to lock up a title shot against Aldo. Since signing with the UFC, McGregor has quickly become one of the most talked about fighters in all of MMA. After delivering big on Sunday in a show that was largely built around the Irishman, it seems that the UFC is going to pump this well for all it’s worth. Fans and fighters alike have expressed both admiration and abhorrence for the charismatic McGregor. Those critical of McGregor point out that he has yet to face a high-level wrestler, while his supporters point out that he has never been taken down inside the Octagon. With so many people swaying both ways on the Irishman, I decided to talk to some local fighters and see what they thought about McGregor and how they felt about his impending title fight with Aldo.
I first spoke with Ryan Healy, a veteran fighter with over a decade of experience; Healy had a lot of positive things to say about McGregor.
“[I think] Conor McGregor is an amazing talent. The way he dominated [Dennis] Siver, a top ten fighter [at featherweight], shows that he is worthy of a title shot.”
Healy made the point multiple times that McGregor’s ability to sell a fight is something that he feels is a huge asset not just to him but to the featherweight division as a whole. Healy said, “The fight between McGregor and Aldo will be the must anticipated fight ever in the 145 lb division and one of the biggest ever in the UFC. I can’t wait!”
Healy was nothing but positive in his thoughts on McGregor. The same cannot be said for undefeated Bellator MMA fighter Brent Primus. While Primus gave praise to the striking skills of McGregor, it was clear that the brash persona of the Irishman left Primus feeling less enthused.
“I personally like more humble fighters like Frankie Edgar, and Chris Weidman but I thought [McGregor] performed really well Sunday night. He has a really nice straight right cross and he throws clean, fast, unorthodox kicks. His stand up is definitely something to watch out for…[however] I personally like more humble fighters, but if McGregor would’ve knocked Siver out in two minutes like he said he was going to do, he would’ve had me as a fan. You have to be able to back up what you say if you’re willing to be that cocky.”
Primus also said he didn’t feel a win over the number ten ranked fighter in a division should secure a fighter a title shot and he felt that McGregor might have a stiffer test against a top level grappler. Much Like Healy, Primus is still excited about the matchup with Aldo and believes it will be one of the biggest fights in 2015.
Lastly I spoke with young up and coming professional Jake Smith. He was very complimentary of McGregor’s striking game. It was clear to me that Smith has paid very close attention to McGregor throughout his rise in the UFC. He mentioned McGregor’s footwork, utilization of distance, and his ability to disguise his techniques as what he thinks is making McGregor so effective. The only thing Smith seemed to have a problem with was the way the UFC has given such a large push to McGregor while overlooking other top contenders that had already worked their way into title contention prior to his run.
“I’m not a fan of the fact that the UFC has decided to leap frog Frankie Edgar and others. I really hate the politics that go into making fights in the UFC. It makes me hate the sport a little. It makes the sport feel like a freak show and less like a legitimate sport,” said Smith.
Clearly Smith has strong feelings about the way the UFC has handled this situation but his beef is with the UFC and not with McGregor.
Conor McGregor is a once in a generation type of fighter. A fighter who not only captivates audiences with his performance in the cage but also has them hanging on his every word when he’s handed a microphone. As fans from Ireland flock to the US to support McGregor, it is clear that he fights for their nation. As prideful as he his boastful it seems that he has found a stride that is working perfectly for him in the UFC. Is he a bit too cocky? Maybe. But until someone can solve the riddle he brings to the cage and put a mark in his loss column, it appears that McGregormania will continue on as strongly as it started.
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