Dana White is hitting the media trail big time during Super Bowl week. Not only is he dropping news of huge title fights here or there but he's also throwing out the headlines like it's no bodies business. Front and centre in that regard is his suggestion that he simply can't see how Conor McGregor can beat Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196.
Speaking to At The Buzzer on Fox this week, the UFC President gave his take on the the upcoming superfight and he certainly didn't sound confident that his bank balance boosting golden boy would come through the bout with his undefeated UFC record still in tact.
I don't see how he wins this fight.
He’s the 145 lb champion, he could stay right in his own lane. This guy's moving up to 155lbs to take on an animal who destroyed Cowboy Cerrone, who destroyed Anthony Pettis and this isn’t like boxing where you move up two or three pounds, he’s moving up 15lbs.
.@ufc President @danawhite tells @anezbitt he doesn't see how @TheNotoriousMMA could win his next fight.https://t.co/C6hU5npDbK
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 4, 2016
Obviously enough, McGregor is only moving up 10lb but we're fairly confident that's not the only misnomer White was spouting. That man knows how to sell a fight and if anyone thinks he's doing anything else here, then you're mistaken.
Don't get us wrong, beating the lightweight champ is going to be very difficult. He has looked unstoppable in his recent fights but if Dana White really didn't see how McGregor could beat him then you better believe the Dubliner would be sticking around at featherweight or fighting someone slightly less unbeatable at lightweight.
If McGregor loses on March 5th, it doesn't derail the train completely but it definitely knocks a few carriages off. Dana White and the UFC hierarchy want that money train fully loaded for as long as possible so if there was no chance that McGregor could beat Dos Anjos at 155, you better believe he would have been given someone like Nate Diaz to keep the maximum hype rolling for considerably longer.
Other than McGregor's desire to get both belts as soon as possible, there was absolutely no need to go straight for Dos Anjos and you only need to hear White speak this week about the infamous bet that McGregor made with him ahead of UFC 198 to know that he really doesn't doubt the Dubliner in any situation.
He tried to bet my partner and I, Lorenzo (Fertitta), $3 million that he would knock out Chad Mendes in the second round. Thank god we didn’t bet him because he knocked out Chad Mendes in the second round. He’s done everything he said he would do.
As for McGregor, he's fairly happy with his decision and the rationale that went in to it.
I put my money where my mouth was.
Now I put my money with my other money. https://t.co/NhCFOKOead— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 4, 2016
