IRISH UFC STAR Conor McGregor has implored Jose Aldo to “step up and fight like a man”.

The two fighters had been due to compete against each other at UFC 189 on 11 July in Las Vegas, however a recent rib injury suffered by Aldo has cast doubt on whether the encounter will go ahead.

Nevertheless, speaking to Jon Anik on the UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero, McGregor suggested Aldo should compete even if his injury has not fully healed by the time of the fight.

“Just toughen up and show up,” he said. “Many people have stepped inside the Octagon with little, itty bitty bruises. We all have knocks and bruises. Dust it off and step up. Step up and fight like a man. Fight like the champion you should be.”

The 26-year-old fighter insists he won’t target Aldo’s ribs, and added:

“There’s a lot on the line… A lot of money, a lot of pride. There should be no reason to pull out of this contest. But if he does, that’s on him and I cannot force another individual to step in there. If I ask myself truly, would I like to step in there and face me, I’d probably go running, too. If it’s little mini Mendes, we’ll smoke him, too.”

Earlier this week, in an exclusive column for The42, McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh wrote that the Irishman’s camp would not be certain of the identity of their opponent until the day before the fight.

h/t MMA Fighting

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