McGregor worried Dec. 12 is too early for Aldo
When Jose Aldo pulled out of his featherweight title bout against Conor McGregor at UFC 189, the brash Irishman forged ahead, claiming the interim title with a spectacular come-from-behind victory over Chad Mendes.
Following McGregor's stirring win over Mendes, the UFC, knowing to strike when the iron was white hot, quickly re-booked McGregor-Aldo for UFC 194 in December.
According to McGregor, the promotion may have been a little too quick to reschedule the potentially historic bout.
"I said to them, 'It's a little bit too early,'" McGregor told SevereMMA, according to Fox Sports' Elias Cepeda.
"I only just fought in July. I only just saved everybody's ass by showing up for that fight in July. I could have easily walked and cost the company $20 million in production, $7 million in gate, $40 million in pay-per-view. I could have cost them a lot. And then the people who traveled and saved up - I could have not showed up there, but I showed up. I fought, I blew it out the water, and then they booked me again for December. Initially I said, 'It's a little bit too soon.'"
Of course, the bombastic McGregor doesn't think December is too soon for him. For a man with McGregor's impossibly healthy ego, the notion he wouldn't be ready for UFC 194 seems ludicrous (at least in his own mind). Instead, he worries about whether or not Aldo will be able to make it to Las Vegas on Dec. 12.
"I'd whoop every single one of them on the roster inside four months, if you cut out all the other sh-t. If you just let me show up at weigh-ins, and show up on fight night and fight, but there's a lot more to it.
"I said to them, 'It's a little bit too early for Aldo,' because of his ribs, and his body. I just thought, 'He's going to rush into camp, again ... and he could pull out, injured, once again.' We're getting close, now. All signs point that he'll show up. I hope he does. Let's see."
Aldo or no, McGregor is going to fight someone Dec. 12.
"We'll see. I'll be there," McGregor said.
"I have made it. I have put myself through an intense training camp. I'm going to enjoy that beach weather, get that Vitamin D and make it to fight night. Who cares if he's there or not? I'll be there. I hope he's there, but I don't know."