McGregor to get Cerone on return fight?

[Beetlegeuse]

Dana White is teasing McGregor versus Cerrone on Jan 8 in Vegas. Cerrone is a journeyman who never hesitates when Dana crooks his finger, so it wouldn't be unlike Dana to toss him the occasional dog yummy, but I don't understand this pairing. McGregor is the most famous/infamous/notorious/self-destructive [pick one] fighter in the UFC. But Cerrone's out-of-ring persona is as exciting as a loaf of stale bread. And his record in the past three years is 5-6, not even .500. And he's on a 2-fight losing streak. And he's 36 so his oh-fer in his last two fights might be a hint that he's past his "best by" date. Plus both of those losses were TKOs, so he'll get into the ring in January having had his bell rung twice in the past eight months.

Think maybe this is DW offering a big gate payday to Cerrone as a retirement present?

[Ashop]

I hope CERRONE gets this fight. I think he is way more dimensional of a fighter than MCGREGOR.

[Beetlegeuse]

The fight is at 170. McGregor wanted it that way so if he wins he can make a faster turn-around to get a rematch against Nurmagomedov at 155. And apparently Cerrone agreed, which was never in question because Cowboy is one of the fighters woh comes every time Dana White crooks his finger.

[Ashop]

The fight is at 170. McGregor wanted it that way so if he wins he can make a faster turn-around to get a rematch against Nurmagomedov at 155. And apparently Cerrone agreed, which was never in question because Cowboy is one of the fighters woh comes every time Dana White crooks his finger.

They did indeed both agree and sign the deal. I think its JAN/18/20
I'm really looking forward to this fight.

[BG]

I cant believe they gave Conner this fight. Yes Cowboy deserves the pay day but every ex-champ whether he moved up or came back got a tough fight then this. It should have been Gaethje, the only thing that would make this right is if Conner wins he has to fight Gaethje and that winner get winner of Khabib/Tony. Nobody ever gets warm up fights, but Conner does?

[Beetlegeuse]

...Nobody ever gets warm up fights, but Conner does?

Because certain fighters are Dana White's 'special friends.' Cerrone is a 'special friend' because he answers whenever Dana calls.

McGregor is on Dana's Christmas card list because he was in the main event on the card for all three of the PPVs (and the only three) that have surpassed UFC 100 (Lesnar vs. Mir, 1.3M ppvs).

vs. Diaz, UFC 196 (1.32M ppvs)
vs. Diaz, UFC 202 (1.6M ppvs)
vs Nurmagomedov, UFC 229 (2.4M ppvs)

And two of those weren't even title fights.

Since 2001 the UFC has averaged 480,000 PPVs per UFC. In just those three events, McGregor beat the average by combined 3.8 million PPVs. Comes to about $190 million USD.


So Dana kisses his ass.

[BG]

I understand the finances. I just don’t see how he got Cowboy and I heard at 170, that doesn’t make sense though, if he does want a title shot his fights should be at 155. Sometimes Dana makes some shitty decisions.

[Beetlegeuse]

I'm not sure if you think Cerrone is too highly ranked (#4 contender) to face McGregor or if he's not enough competition. If the opening odds are any indication (-275/+215), the bookies clearly think Cerrone is a sacrificial lamb.

As for the weight, Cerrone fought at welterweight for three years and McGregor fought Diaz twice at 170. He asked for the fight at 170 so he could take a Nurmagomedov rematch (counting his chickens before the hen gets laid) on a quick turn-around without having to face the rigors of a weight cut twice in short order. But I think he's bit off more than he can chew because that thunderous left he's so proud of hasn't shown much success against 170-lb opponents (he couldn't have knocked out Diaz with a 20-lb sledgehammer and three free swings).

I think Dana's plan is to kill two birds with one stone. At the moment any McGregor fight is likely to sell well over a million PPVs and I suspect Dana sees the event as Cowboy's chance to feather his retirement nest with a big, soft pile of cash. Including his time in the WEC (which Zuffa also owned), he's fought for Dana 40 times, 32 of them in the UFC with 22 victories (the most of any UFC fighter). He might have had five or six fewer losses over those 32 fights if he hadn't agreed to take so many short-notice fights. Which is how he comes to be Dana's 'special friend.' So even if he's not in a position to challenge for the title, he still knows how to get the "W" and he's nobody's creampuff.

There's no escaping the fact that Ferguson is due the title shot (at least since they couldn't make Khabib-GSP work out). Gaethje (who has beaten Cerrone) has been sidelined since late last year with a hip injury and I don't think he's fit to fight yet. Of the other fighters ranked higher than Cerrone, that only leaves Poirier. Before the loss to Khabib last September, Poirier had beaten Pettis, Gaethje, Alvares and Holloway in succession, and I suspect he posed too much threat to that potential 2 million PPV Nurmagomedov rematch for Dana to consider him.

The next two ranked lightweights are Hooker and Iaquinta, so if not Cerrone then that's who you're left with.

I think if you're Dana White, Cerrone-McGregor makes a lot of cents ... I mean $en$e.

[Beetlegeuse]

Cerrone's coach notes that all McGregor has is his left fist.

I wonder what his first clue was?

[Ashop]

Cerrone's coach notes that all McGregor has is his left fist.

I wonder what his first clue was?

I cat wait to see this fight. Huge opportunity for CERRONE. JAN 18 I will be tuning in!

[EasyDoesIt]

I think DW does want to give Cerrone an opportunity for his loyalty and a tune up fight for McGregor to see how Conor is going to look after this long layoff. It's kind of a bonus fight for UFC that is sure to make money. Both have a big fan base. Cerrone will be a good cardio check for Conor especially at 170 as long as an early knockout doesn't show up.

[Ashop]

I think DW does want to give Cerrone an opportunity for his loyalty and a tune up fight for McGregor to see how Conor is going to look after this long layoff. It's kind of a bonus fight for UFC that is sure to make money. Both have a big fan base. Cerrone will be a good cardio check for Conor especially at 170 as long as an early knockout doesn't show up.

I question CONNOR's cardio at 170. It will be interesting to see what's in his gas tank. CERRONE is well capable of 5 rounds and I think he is a more rounded fighter than CONNOR.

[Beetlegeuse]

GSP -- who has sparred with Cowboy -- thinks Cerrone has a chance if he wrestles the first round instead of trying to stand and bang with McGregor. He says Cerrone's right hand is underrated but still thinks the edge is McGregor's.

[Beetlegeuse]

"McGregor to get Cerone ...."

... and $5 million. Cerrone to get $2 million.

You can buy a whole lots of oats for $2 mil.

[EasyDoesIt]

I question CONNOR's cardio at 170. It will be interesting to see what's in his gas tank. CERRONE is well capable of 5 rounds and I think he is a more rounded fighter than CONNOR.

Right now he is weighing 160lbs. I think his cardio will be ok. When he gets serious which he needs to do, Conor can accomplish a lot.

[Beetlegeuse]

...When he gets serious which he needs to do, Conor can accomplish a lot.

But he couldn't buy a ground game with all the gold in Fort Knox.

That is ground game is still teh suck after this many years in the business speaks volumes.

[EasyDoesIt]

But he couldn't buy a ground game with all the gold in Fort Knox.

That is ground game is still teh suck after this many years in the business speaks volumes.

We will see. A lot of top fighters thought his ground was improved against Kabib. I think its going to be better. Tough to be tops at everything, especially when your knocking world champs out in 11 seconds. He is a technician who works on his weakness. People can talk all the shite they want about him, but he is a warrior. MMA like all sports just keeps getting better talent and more technical all the time.

[Beetlegeuse]

Khabib had him in ground control for 9-1/2 minutes of an 18-minute fight. If that was his "improved" ground game, then it truly must have been teh suck before.

But I tell you whose ground game has improved in the 2-1/2 months since this match was announced: Donald Cerrone's. Because he's known all that time that that was his best chance of beating McRapist. Even if McRapist's ground game has improved -- and I think he's entirely too vain to admit that after 11 years as a pro he needs to further expand his skill sets -- the world around him has not stood still. Improving doesn't necessarily equal closing the YUGE gap to Cerrone.

[Beetlegeuse]

McRapist claims he'll make $80 million off the Cerrone fight. Then again, he also claims he made $50 million off the LOSS to Khabib but no one else seems to be able to understand the 'magic math' by which he came up with those numbers.

The UFC has banned Dillon Dannis from McRapist's corner for having instigated the fight after McRapist gave up to Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.

And if you feel like wasting 47 minutes of your life listening to McRapist spew the blarney, here's his ESPN interview:

[Beetlegeuse]

McGregor Madness: How the UFC PR machine protects its most volatile asset
Karim Zidan breaks down how the UFC uses its public relations machine to protect its cash cow Conor McGregor.

Sme of the best journalism I've seen in a long time from The Bloody Elbow. The article concludes:

...Given the UFC’s stranglehold over MMA media, it comes as little surprise that most of the coverage leading into UFC 146 has been about McGregor’s training preparations, his coach’s opinion on the upcoming fight, whether McGregor is in the best shape of his career, and even McGregor’s “most memorable quotes.” While there have been a handful of critical articles, the vast majority of news in the lead-up to the PPV can only be described as promotional hyperbole. It is exactly what MMA fans have come to expect from the coverage of this sport.

This was evidently clear on Wednesday evening at the UFC 246 press conference, when hoards of UFC fans booed veteran journalist Morgan Campbell — one of the most respected reporters present at the press conference — for asking McGregor about the status of his sexual assault investigations. The crowd reaction is a testament to the fact that the UFC has trained its fanbase to view the media as little more than an extension of the UFC’s PR machine.


EDIT:
ESPN and UFC fall short in addressing sexual assault allegations against Conor McGregor at UFC 246 press conference 18
Everyone should have seen this coming when Ariel Helwani failed to pointedly ask McGregor about “sexual assault allegations”

... Campbell shouldn’t be criticized for asking the question that needed to be asked at the UFC 246 press conference. Anyone who booed him, anyone who said he didn’t do his job, anyone who thinks a UFC press conference isn’t a place to ask a tough question is part of the problem. Fans can carry water for an organization, team or fighter, blind allegiance is part of being a fan. But journalists? They should always ask the tough questions, no matter the potential repercussions. Morgan Campbell did that. He should be applauded, not booed.

On the flip side, ESPN and Helwani should be asked why the words “sexual assault allegations” were reduced to “allegations.” The removal of those two very important words allowed White, McGregor and the UFC to proclaim the question answered when in reality it’s still an open inquiry.

[Beetlegeuse]

PETA is pissed at both Cerrone and McRapist for wearing animal skins. The PETA comment reads like it was written by an under-educate 12-year-old.



They both told PETA to pound sand up their asses.

[Ashop]

Right now he is weighing 160lbs. I think his cardio will be ok. When he gets serious which he needs to do, Conor can accomplish a lot.

He was 170 at last nights weigh ins and he looked great at that weight. DIAZ destroyed him in their first bout at 170. I'm excited to see this fight, should be a good one.

[Obs]

Lol that was short.

I am sure Connor is a shit head, but he has brought more money and fame to MMA than anyone else.

Without a bad guy there is no hero and without a hero... Nobody cares.

[EasyDoesIt]

The WANNABE EXPERTS sure got quiet! I don't like to talk trash about any athlete especially in MMA. You hear less trash talk from real fighters than keyboard warriors who will always have an opinion which means nothing since they are not in there doing it. Fighters all work hard at what they do and I figured Conor would knock him out in the second round but I was wrong. Cerrone is a warrior and I like them both, I do feel bad for Cerrone on a quick loss but I have always liked Conor and if he has holes in his game he works to perfect them. This company that bought the UFC has been brilliant in their strategy to blow that business up and diversify.

[Beetlegeuse]

McRapist was impressive for as long as the fight lasted but that doesn't take away from the fact that Cerrone had had two losses by KO/TKO in the previous seven months. His chin is gone. And he certainly wasn't competition enough to warrant having been a stepping stone to a title shot. Dana White said last week there there are no "can" fights in the UFC, meaning "punching cans." Last night, Donald Cerrone proved him wrong.

[Beetlegeuse]

McGregor Madness: How the UFC PR machine protects its most volatile asset
Karim Zidan breaks down how the UFC uses its public relations machine to protect its cash cow Conor McGregor.

A quite interesting read.