Conor McGregor stunned the world with his 13 second knockout of Jose Aldo at UFC 194 and now the Featherweight champion admits ‘the options are building’ for his next step.
Speaking on the UFC on FOX post-event show, McGregor said: “Times are good. The options are there. So I’m happy, as long as there’s nice options building, that’s what we want in this game, we want these options there so you can make these decisions.”
The UFC have held countless events at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in their storied history, but none rival December 12th’s record breaking show which attracted a $10.1m gate. The previous U.S. record $7.2m, also set by McGregor at UFC 189 against Chad Mendes.
With records broken, options open and media attention at an all time high, the UFC alongside McGregor have a handful of decisions to make over the Irishman’s next move inside the Octagon.
Not many could have predicted that McGregor would have finished Aldo within 13 seconds of the fight’s anticipated start, landing a clean left hook to dethrone Aldo and hand him his first loss in 10 years.
The only 145lb champion UFC fans have known, Aldo’s shock defeat may have squashed his chances of an immediate rematch, despite his merit for one.
At the UFC 194 post-fight press conference, McGregor was inconclusive over whether or not there would be an immediate rematch.
“That’s on him, that’s up to him what way he goes about his next step, I feel maybe he could take step back, re-centre himself,” said the new UFC Featherweight champion. “Because you don’t understand, like I’ve said before and I’ve said many times, it’s not the same when you sign to fight me, it’s a whole other ball game, it’s a completely different pressure and he felt that, a guy that’s been on top so long, 10 years undefeated, the company’s only champion but he felt the pressure like he ‘d never felt before, that’s because he was facing me.
“I think Jose should go back, regroup, maybe get back in line for a number one contender spot and we’ll go from there. I know the option is there for the 155lb belt, I’ll sit and I’ll watch this. The options are there now, the options are building. We’ve got Frankie who had a good win last night, that could be for the Featherweight belt. Maybe Jose rematch or 155lb strap. I enjoy options, options are a good thing in the fight game.”
The desire to become a duel weight champion is something that continues to drive McGregor. Previously, UFC President Dana White has been against fighters holding more than one championship belt, however ‘Notorious’ refuted those claims and said, ‘If I go up to that Lightweight division there’s no way in hell I’m vacating my belt’.
“That’s not happening, there will be a belt on one shoulder and a belt on the other shoulder. I understand why previously they would have fighters do that, because many fighters don’t fight as frequently as I do, tell me how many fights I’ve had in the past year, I’m busy, I stay active, I’m fresh, so when I go up for that Lightweight belt, and take that Lightweight belt, I will still be the Featherweight champion also. I will be a duel weight champion, there’s no going up and vacating, the belts will still be active because I am active.”
Championship belts aside, one of McGregor’s biggest goals is to fight at Croke Park in his beloved Dublin and with Frankie Edgar dismantling Chad Mendes for the new #1 spot, McGregor was open to the possibility of fighting Edgar in Ireland.
“If that was the proposal, 80,000 Croke Park, bring Frankie out? That would be sweet. Personally, I think Chad should have taken a rest, you can’t take them shots he took in July, it’s too quick to come back. But Frankie got in there, done his job, caught him with the shot, much respect. I like Frankie, I always did, he fights with his heart, he’s had a good run in the Lightweight division. Again, he wouldn’t take my shots, it would not be a good night for him. But I do respect him and I respect that win. If they have Croke Park and they want him, I will take that no problem.”
Also speaking on the post-even show, President White commented on McGregor’s potential move to 155lbs and insisted the new newly crowned champion would get an immediate title shot at the winner of Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone.
“I’d bring him straight in for a title shot,” said White. “Next Saturday, live and free on FOX, will be the fight between Cowboy Cerrone and Dos Anjos and the winner of that; if Conor McGregor is moving to [1]55, would face Conor McGregor.”
With McGregor’s star power continuing to climb and the spotlight on him only set to increase, as does the pressure. But do not expect this to faze a man who has risen to the occasion time and time again. The McGregor era has official begun and red panty night is in full swing.
