Conor McGregor makes UFC 189 prediction: Calls for KO 'four minutes of the first round'

Conor McGregor has been consistent about making predictions for his bouts during his rise to contender for the UFC featherweight championship. Most famously, McGregor predicted he would stop Dustin Poirier and Diego Brandao in the first round (he delivered on both) and that he would knock out Dennis Siver in under two minutes (it took until 1:54 of Round 2).

While McGregor (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has not been hesitant to make predictions that he’ll knock out Jose Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in their highly anticipated UFC 189 main event, he got into specifics during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“I always make accurate predictions,” McGregor said. “I have predicted many contests. I have my entire career. I predict the future. For me, I have already predicted this contest. At four minutes of the first round he will be KO’ed. I feel that the power matched with the precision, he will not be able to take it. Four minutes he will be done.”

UFC 189 takes place July 11 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following preliminary bouts on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The ESPN hosts seemed tranfixed by McGregor’s confidence. When they asked how it was possible for McGregor to be so confident heading into the bout, his answer was simple.

“I’m in a business where you must be confident,” McGregor said. “If you have any doubts they will come back and play against you. So I am supremely confident as well as I am confident in my work ethic. My approach to the game, my non-stop effort to get better as a martial artist. I don’t feel that anyone else in the game is doing what I’m doing and moving the way I am moving.

“It just comes from years and years of practice on the mat. I have had many fights inside the octagon, outside the octagon, in rings, on mats. I am an experienced veteran in the fight game. Through that and through a believe team and my ability I have just gained a bulletproof confidence that I cannot be stopped.”

And for more on UFC 189, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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