Conor McGregor – “How many other people have to get hurt?”

With just over a month to go until he meets Dennis Siver in Boston’s TD Garden on January 18th, Conor McGregor took a few minutes out of his busy training regiment to speak to SevereMMA’s very own Andrew McGahon on location at Straight Blast Gym this weekend. As usual, McGregor had plenty on his mind and wasn’t shy about speaking it.

“I’m going to put on the performance of a lifetime and make my claim, put it in cement, that it’s the world title next.” McGregor said when asked about his upcoming fight with Dennis Siver. “These are all top 10 opponents (I’m fighting) and yet I am demolishing them.”

“What else can you do but give me the shot? How many other people have to get hurt?”

On talk of Siver being an opponent who is a non-wrestler hand picked to lose, McGregor was frank in his thoughts; “I think it’s disrespectful to Siver. He can wrestle. He has proven he can wrestle in the past. He’s taken Cub down. He’s well rounded, he’s aging, he was a juicehead as well – it is what it is.”

“One minute they are a contender, next minute they are a bum. Dustin Poirier was the guy, he was the man. He’s the top-5 guy that’s going to shut my mouth. When Dustin falls in one round, now Dustin’s a bum all of a sudden. This is the way the so called fans treat the competitors which to me is disrespectful.”

When asked about the questions surrounding that win over Dustin Poirier and allegations from some members of the public that the American took a dive McGregor proclaimed: “Anyone that knows combat sports, anyone that knows fighting, knows that if you get cracked with a shot like that it’s like getting a smack of a hurley across the back of the head. Then of course came the hammer fists to the temple on the mat to put him away.”

“If you feel that was a dive, you’re an idiot. You don’t know fighting. Look closer. These are 4oz gloves…. There is no referee to give him time. This is as real as it gets. I’m going in to get paid and get out safely. ”

McGregor had plenty to say too about the UFC’s newest signing and former WWE champion CM Punk who plans to make his debut in 2015: “I don’t have a problem with it.” McGregor said. “If you can bring something to the table, you get a seat. You must show up to compete. CM Punk has a different fanbase but to be honest it’s weird to me to let an amateur come in and do it in the pro game. Who knows what his skill level is like?”

“Listening to him speak on the broadcast, I saw a man afraid. When the shin bone cracks the body or the elbow cracks or the heel cracks it doesn’t get much more real than that. Personally I don’t think he should be in this league yet but if you bring asses to the seats and eyeballs to the screens we will give you a shot.”

The #5 ranked featherweight was also forthright on his new media obligations and how he is learning to live with the busy schedule; “They had we doing a back-to-back media tour (in Brazil prior to UFC 179). 12-14 hours a day.”

“Thursday evening (before UFC Dublin) they had me walk around Dublin with Ariel Helwani. The day before a weigh-in when I’m cutting weight, when I’m dehydrated. I love Ariel, he’s a great guy, but he’s asking me questions about my mother and father. These are not the types of questions I want to be dealing with the day before the biggest fight of my life. But, this is part of the game. I’m learning to cope with it.”

“During media obligations I’m like a gorilla in the zoo. Here, in the gym, I’m like a gorilla in the jungle. I’m free.”

On the support of his loyal fans McGregor was overjoyed after the great backing in Las Vegas for UFC 178 and the crowds expected to travel to Boston in January: “I take great pride in that (fan support).” McGregor said. “That spurs me on to stay here in the gym until one or two in the morning looking to get better. I think Boston is going to be special. The Irish heritage the American people have filled me with pride. For our little country to have so much pull over there, that filled me with pride”

In business closer to home, with rumours flying around that an event could possibly be held in Croke Park later this year, McGregor was adamant in saying; “I think it’s a done deal.”

“I think you could bring over Jose (Aldo) and we could compete for the belt. Or even if he pussies out, which I feel he might do, you could bring over Frankie (Edgar). You could bring over “the wrestler”.”

“If it’s either Jose or Frankie or Chad (Mendes) in Croke Park in the stadium I believe we could do it no problem. The country is behind me.”