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All it took was a capacity crowd of countrymen to thrust Conor McGregor back into his customary role as a showman.
After spending the week subdued for his standards and stating he was in a “state of zen,” McGregor energized at the UFC 194 weigh-in Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. More than 9,000 fans showed up for the final event ahead of Saturday night’s pay-per-view card with the majority of them draped in Irish flags or wearing green and orange.
McGregor fed off the energy, flexing animatedly and smiling on the scale before getting into a minor altercation with opponent Jose Aldo. McGregor slapped archrival Aldo’s hand away while posing for the stare-down photo and feinted a kick after UFC President Dana White split them apart.
“I’m sick of talking about Jose,” McGregor said in his final comments. “I visualize and I look at his face, his features, and I know that the soft parts of his face won’t be able to take my shots.”
UFC 194 is official with all 24 fighters making weight, including Aldo and McGregor both coming in at exactly 145 pounds.
McGregor sported a T-shirt from his sponsor Reebok that read “UFC featherweight champion,” which is technically inaccurate unless he becomes the first person in a decade to defeat Aldo in Saturday night’s main event.
McGregor won the interim title by defeating Chad Mendes in July, but Aldo remains the only lineal featherweight champion in promotional history.
“I don’t care what he says,” Aldo said through a translator. “The thing is, I’m coming in here tomorrow night and staying the champion.”
Much like the UFC 189 weigh-in this summer, the Irish fans drowned out McGregor’s opponent and several other fighters with “Olay” chants. Luke Rockhold, who challenges Chris Weidman for the middleweight championship in the co-main event, tried to pick up some new supporters by recognizing the fans’ patriotism.
“Chris has been a great champion but I’m taking this game to a new level,” Rockhold said. “I’m going to give these Irish fans something to cheer for tomorrow night.”
Rockhold walked toward the scale while Weidman was on it, and the champion wasted no time in rushing toward the challenger for the face-off as soon as his weight was official. Fighters often exchange a word or two while posing, but Weidman and Rockhold continuously jawed from inches apart for nearly a minute.
Weidman told Rockhold that he was stepping out of his league.
“He’s never faced anyone like me before,” he said. “It’s going to be a finish. That’s all I know — a finish.”
McGregor has promised the same thing, saying he doesn’t foresee Aldo being able to continue into the second round. The hordes of Irish fans are counting on a performance that dominating.
After the weigh-in, they created a standstill from the MGM shops to the casino floor while chanting a variety of refrains including a couple involving Aldo’s name with an expletive. McGregor has said in the past that he fights with the weight of Ireland behind him.
Based on the weigh-in turnout, he’ll also feel it Saturday night.
Check below for full results from the weigh-in.
Featherweight championship bout: Jose Aldo (145) vs. Conor McGregor (145)
Middleweight championship bout: Chris Weidman (185) vs. Luke Rockhold (185)
Middleweight bout: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (186) vs. Yoel Romero (185)
Welterweight bout: Demian Maia (170) vs. Gunnar Nelson (170)
Featherweight bout: Max Holloway (146) vs. Jeremy Stephens (145)
Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber (136) vs. Frankie Saenz (135)
Women’s bantamweight bout: Tecia Torres (116) vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger (116)
Welterweight bout: Warrley Alves (171) vs. Colby Covington (170)
Lightweight bout: Leonardo Santos (156) vs. Kevin Lee (156)
Lightweight bout: Joe Proctor (155.5) vs. Magomed Mustafaev (155)
Lightweight bout: John Makdessi (156) vs. Yancy Medeiros (154.5)
Welterweight bout: Court McGee (170) vs. Marcio Alexandre Jr. (171)
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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