CONOR McGREGOR’S NEXT fight is just four days away so it’s full-steam-ahead for the UFC’s hype train.
When it comes to spouting hyperbolic superlatives, there’s nobody better than UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who’s been summing up the incredible impact made by McGregor in a new ‘Rogan Riffs’ video released by the organisation ahead of Saturday night’s bout between the Irish superstar and Nate Diaz at UFC 196 in Las Vegas.
“The UFC is filled with all sorts of different personalities,” Rogan says. “Some people are extrovert. Some people are very quiet and prefer to do their talking in the ring. And then there’s Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor is a combination of all the lessons that everyone has ever learned through self-promotion, through positive-thinking and through belief in one’s self — all combined in one insane Irishman with an entire country behind him.
“He is so confident, he has so much belief in himself, he’s so dynamic an individual, his aura, his energy that he brings into the octagon is like some sort of Celtic warrior that’s been resurrected from the grave, given a pair of spandex shorts and thrown into the octagon. It’s a completely different type of human being. There literally has never been a guy like him before.”
Rogan goes on to compare McGregor’s expertise as a promoter to that of boxing legend Muhammad Ali and former UFC contender Chael Sonnen. The UFC commentator also recalls McGregor’s UFC interim featherweight title win against Chad Mendes last July, when Las Vegas was invaded by thousands of Irish fans.
“I’ve seen a lot of people that come into the octagon to fight for the UFC and they’re confident, they’re brash, they believe in themselves, they know how to hype a fight up, [but] they’re all amateurs compared to this wild Irishman. And he backs it up. He backs it up in a big way inside the octagon.
“If you are a promoter, he’s Christmas. He sells fights in a way that nobody can sell fights. He’s really one of the first guys that we’ve had in the UFC who combines the ability to fight at a world championship level with an ability to promote that is rivalled by only, like, Muhammad Ali or Chael Sonnen.
“And I think, with all due respect to Chael Sonnen, who I’ve always said is the greatest trash-talker of all time, I think Conor is better. I think he’s better because Conor can actually beat everyone they put in front of him — world-class guys.
“His ability to get people excited about the fight is like nothing I’ve ever seen. When he was fighting Chad Mendes in Las Vegas, the weigh-ins were the most insane thing that I’ve ever seen in my life. The biggest weigh-ins the UFC has ever had. You’re talking more than 10,000 people at a weigh-in, and more Irish flags than you can count.
We’re in America and an American fighter is getting booed by the crowd, whereas [Conor] has a standing ovation when he walks on to the stage.
“There’s no one like him. There’s no one like him as far as the support that he gets from his country. [It was] absolutely humbling to see the support from the Irish fans when he fought Chad Mendes for the title.”
Rogan adds: “Conor McGregor is a unique, special individual and when I watch that guy fight I’m so happy that I’m there. I’m so happy that I get to call those fights. I’m happy that I get to be there when all this is going down because I really feel like he is a huge part of combat sports history.
“And I think when all is said and done, and we look back on this 20 or 30 years from now, the Conor McGregor era will be something truly special. Truly unique. He just makes things a lot of fun.”
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