Conor McGregor is heading to the U.S to finish off his fight camp ahead of his blockbuster featherweight title unification bout with Jose Aldo on UFC 194 on December 12th, and as well as being aware of just how big an event it’s shaping up to be financially for the organization, he’s also more than happy to take all the credit for it.
“Leaving Ireland today for the West Coast to unify my belt and spearhead the unprecedented $90-100million dollar UFC 194 event,” McGregor boasted on Instagram. “This event along with UFC 189 putting me at close to $200million dollars in revenue generated for this company. All in less than 6months. I am not a company man. I am the company.”
With Ronda Rousey mania potentially dying down after her shock loss at UFC 193, McGregor does now have a chance to displace her as the UFC’s biggest star if he can overcome Aldo. On the other side of the coin, it would be another huge blow for the UFC if the Irish star loses, particularly if it’s in as decisive a fashion as ‘Rowdy’s’ defeat to Holly Holm.
So far McGregor has always been able to back up his words with action in the Octagon, but he’s never faced an opponent like Aldo who’s remained unbeaten for almost 10 years.
Still, McGregor’s self-belief is unflappable heading into this momentous occasion, and it seems that others in his camp are just as convinced that he’s going to come out on top in just a few weeks time in the fight capital, Las Vegas.
“I really think Conor is going to embarrass Aldo,” McGregor’s striking coach Owen Roddy told Fightland Vice. “I think Aldo is going to come out very aggressive, Conor will make him miss and then he’s going to punish him for that with his devastating striking.”
That’s a bold statement given that Aldo has overcome everyone from the heavy-handed Chad Mendes to an elusive technician like Frankie Edgar during his UFC title reign so far, but in fairness McGregor himself has taken out the likes of Mendes, Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway, so it’s going to be fascinating to see who comes out on top.
