icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
4 Jan, 2020 12:21

'He's first on the list': UFC superstar Conor McGregor explains motivations for 'Cowboy' Cerrone comeback fight at UFC 246 (VIDEO)

'He's first on the list': UFC superstar Conor McGregor explains motivations for 'Cowboy' Cerrone comeback fight at UFC 246 (VIDEO)

Conor McGregor says that his upcoming fight with Donald Cerrone can be traced back to an exchange they had a press conference several years ago, as the Irishman details his plan of attack for 2020 in a new interview.

McGregor will face the experienced UFC veteran later this month in what will be his first fight since an October 2018 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov. It will, he says, be the first of a three-fight 'season' he intends on having this year and comes after a prolonged absence from the Octagon which has seen his appearances restricted to that loss alone since the end of 2016. 

Also on rt.com 'He can run, but he cannot hide': Conor McGregor insists that Khabib Nurmagomedov rematch is inevitable

But now apparently refocused, McGregor says that he intends to remind audiences exactly why he is the biggest box office star in mixed martial arts history against 'Cowboy' - but why him, exactly?

"I mean, me and Donald have had a history for a while. I did say I'd fight him," McGregor told his website The Mac Life.

"If you look at the list of call-outs or people I've engaged with, Donald was probably one of the first ones so he's first on the list. And I'll get to every single one of them, also."

McGregor has long been fascinated by numbers, accolades and accomplishments. He has often boasted of his status as the sport's top selling star, the box office bonanza he and Floyd Mayweather commanded a couple of years ago and the two world titles he won in the UFC. In Cerrone, he sees someone who can speak to his own set of accomplishments. 

"I know Donald's a good fighter," McGregor said. "Great records: most knockdowns, most head-kicks, most fights, most rounds.

"He's got a lot of UFC records under his belt. So I'll get a great camp and a great fight and that'll take me into the year."

McGregor intends to use this fight as a springboard to future tests, perhaps even against arch rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, but before any talk of gazing into a crystal ball to divine what is next for him McGregor says that he is just enjoying the moment.

Also on rt.com 'This is the best I've seen him': Coach John Kavanagh says Conor McGregor is in the form of his career ahead of UFC comeback

"My team has been phenomenal this camp. I can't thank the people close to me enough," he said. "I just feel good to be in this spot that I am in.

"I don't have to worry about to the weight cut. I can focus on my skills, focus on my endurance, focus on my strength and build myself back up. That's what allowed me to achieve the things I achieved.

"It was consistency. Consecutive bouts, back-to-back so that's what I am looking to replicate again."

Podcasts
0:00
23:13
0:00
25:0