Conor McGregor: UFC's featherweight division 'full of rookies and has-beens'

LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) started his time at Saturday night’s post-UFC 178 press conference declaring himself a “humble” fighter. Then he humbly made it clear the rest of the division wasn’t fit to shine his shoes.

“The division seems to be full of rookies and has-beens,” McGregor said. “I’m just sitting here enjoying myself, collecting these checks on my way, eliminating each one.”

McGregor, of course, is no stranger to bold proclamations, but he slowly seems to be turning his doubters into believers. The 26-year-old Irishman on Saturday picked up his fourth UFC win, downing Dustin Poirier (16-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in less than two minutes and collecting a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process.

His skill level, not to mention his charisma and marketability, have seen McGregor shoot quickly up the 145-pound rankings, and fans seem to be clamoring for him to be booked into the biggest fights available. Currently, that would be the winner of next month’s UFC 179 headliner between UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo (24-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and top contender Chad Mendes (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

McGregor, never one to be short on confidence, believes both matchups fall in his favor.

“I believe I will dismantle both of them,” McGregor said. “Chad is a 5-foot-6, overblown – he should be a 125er, but he’s gone past that limit now. Now he’s just a little small bodybuilder stuck in the 145-pound division, and he gets tired quick. He’s 5-foot-6 with a 65-inch reach. I have an eight-inch reach advantage on him. I tower over him. I would maul Chad.

“Jose is in this situation where he has got to a stage where he’s happy with his level. … I feel he’s in that pattern of deterioration. Again, another easy win.”

Despite the growing support behind McGregor, it’s not a given that he’ll fight for the belt in his next outing. After all, the winner of a UFC Fight Night 57 headliner between Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar will also have a strong claim for that honor.

McGregor understands he’s at the mercy of UFC brass, but he believes those at the top – including Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta – might want to see him in a title fight just as much as he wants to be there.

“As long as I show up and my check is what it says it’s going to be, then I show up and I will kill whoever they put in front of me,” McGregor said. “Of course I want that gold belt. Don’t tell me that gold belt sitting up here right now on this table would not look great along side this ivory, elephant-trunk suit that I have on me right now. It would look perfect, and I know Dana wants to see it. I know Lorenzo wants to see it. Shout out to Uncle Frank; I know he wants to see it. It’s what the fans want, as well.”

Time will tell what comes next, but there’s no doubt McGregor is one of the sport’s newest superstars. His brash demeanor may very well be setting him up for a big fall, but if you believe the “Notorious” one’s predictions, there is much more greatness to come.

“I love proving people wrong and proving my supporters right,” McGregor said. “This is all fun aand games to me. I love it. I love my job. I whoop people for truckloads of cash. how could I hate this life? I love it so much. I’m grateful every single day.”

And whether it’s Aldo, Mendes, Swanson or Edgar on the horizon, McGregor believes he’s more than prepared to whoop them all. And he doesn’t mean to offend anyone with that claim, but as the Irish fans so loudly sing at his fights, there really is “only one Conor McGregor.”

“Business is business,” McGregor said. “It’s never personal. It can be cruel, it can be ruthless, but it is never personal.”

For complete coverage of UFC 178, check out the UFC Events section of the site.