Dennis Siver admits it: Conor McGregor can do more than talk

Dennis Siver

Sporting a hat and swollen face, UFC featherweight Dennis Siver was forced to admit talking isn’t Conor McGregor’s only skill.

“One thing Conor does really well is talk, but he also proved tonight that he can do more than talk – he can fight,” Siver said following Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 59 event.

Prior to their headliner at Boston’s TD Garden, which aired live on FOX Sports 1, Siver (22-10 MMA, 11-7 UFC) was determined to make McGregor (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) eat his words, particularly the promise the Irish fighter made to finish him in two minutes.

The German emigrant offered a previous fight with George Sotiropoulos as a cautionary tale of what he could do against a heavily hyped fighter.

“He’s using how quickly he’s going to finish me to promote the fight,” Siver said. “He’s full of sh-t, and it’s not going to happen.”

McGregor did not finish Siver in two minutes on Sunday night. But he did land several concussive punches that rendered the veteran mostly defensive, covering up against the cage as he took combinations to the head.

Attempts to take the fight to the ground were shrugged off by McGregor, who appeared to be on his way to an easy win by the end of the first five minutes.

A straight left, which repeatedly found its mark in the opening frame, finally sent Siver reeling to the canvas. From there, McGregor took mount and wailed away with punches and until referee Herb Dean was forced to stop the bout.

“He was actually better than me tonight,” Siver said. “He was not just average, but better than me.”

Siver took note of McGregor’s ability to keep him at the end of his punches.

“One thing that’s very good about his style is that he has a good eye for distances,” Siver said. “He could judge distance very well.”

Asked why his takedown attempts weren’t successful, Siver could offer little explanation, other than he simply got outclassed.

“It’s a pretty good question, but if I knew the answer, I would have used it in the fight,” he said.

McGregor, meanwhile, answered again to those who doubt his ability to fight as well as he promotes. Although he was massively favored to win Sunday night’s headliner, the pressure to deliver on expectations was greater than ever. If able to get past Siver, he was promised a title shot against champ Jose Aldo by the UFC.

McGregor is now moving on to face Aldo at UFC 187 on Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. The featherweight title bout is expected to do big business at the box office for the UFC.

“Notorious” has not only won five straight in the promotion’s octagon, but he convinced another fallen doe he’s a real threat.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 59, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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