UFC 249: Press Conference

I am undefeated, undisputed champion of Río Salado 28, no, I dominate all opponents, no one comes close to me. I'm on a different level and everyone notices it, but even if I beat Akron's top corner badly for my legacy, I have to be perfect like you. You can measure how big and significant a fight really is by the fans, the fans are going crazy for this fight. This is the fight that everyone wants to see. This fight all week. Furguson, your surprising bet on the fight that all MMA fans are dying to see. that fighter was signed in 2015 2016 2017 there is no one like him without a doubt Tony Ferguson is the guy we want to see this should happen sooner I'm glad it's happening now because there is more at stake in this matchup than there ever would have been These are the most anticipated years to be preparing for this fight, so I will do that voice and I will win that belt, man we gave that name to for a long time, we had many great Houstons and when a smash-and-grab starts again welcome to the t -mobile Arena in Las Vegas Nevada, where the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 248 will take place in less than an hour, but first, let's prepare for UFC 249 Brooklyn, New York and Barclays Center will host a lightweight championship showdown. on Saturday, April 18 only on PPV for purchase through the ESPN Plus app first on stage, welcome the Cucuy with the longest winning streak in the UFC with 12 consecutive victories that he has not lost in almost eight years and has the third with the most results in the history of the UFC lightweight, he is the former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and his opponent, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world today, undefeated and unheard of 28 and Oh with his last two victories over UFC legends Dustin Poirier and Conor.

McGregor also has one of the UFC's best 12 consecutive wins in this epic contest and has the second-most takedowns in UFC lightweight history. Please welcome UFC Lightweight World Champion Abbi Norma Chamitoff, what's up everyone? Thank you for coming today, we appreciate it. I have the first question Tony. I wanted to start with you. You brought your belt today. I want to ask you what your mindset is going into this fight. I mean, this journey has been a long one for you. You were awarded a championship belt. They took it away from you. I mean, is there a resentment on your shoulder?

Are you excited, are you angry, are you frustrated, bereft, it's here, it never came in, where the buzz is the grill, sorry, it's tiramisu time, we'll keep it sweet, keeping a Savion, we'll keep it. It's a bit fancy, the hype is real, there could be better. I'm glad you showed up, just leave it and go, it's Tony, I wonder, I mean, obviously, the record, uh, beep, hat, it's amazing, twenty-eight, no, I mean, it's amazing when you watch their fights What do you see? ? Do you see mistakes that others have made or do you see skills that others are missing?

What will be the difference for you? In fact, this time I'm going to train. I haven't trained since T Bow. What you didn't know either, I don't think anyone knew, so we're going to be sparring. I'm looking for sparring partners so grab Jitsu on gmail.com. Send me your resume, so, oh wait, hold on like you're getting hit. high school wrestlers who are preparing for state the week before, wait, wait, and you like making bums do push-ups in New York and making fun of them. I owe you two up to my stomach and you only 20 push-ups, but I'll do it.

You lose push-ups with you, so Nick asked why you haven't practiced for so long. Have they been health reasons or is it a strategy? Why not be smart? I thought I graduated with a lot of tools, so I had to go out in the field. Use them in the field, oh, now I'm game planning. I don't have dad with me and I don't have anyone to hold my hand. I'll be there if I want to ask you. I mean, you said this fight is important for your legacy, what is it about Tony that makes it important to have this fight for your legacy?

I think we have to fight what your legacy is like. I think he deserved it. You know it's a real challenge. You know I respect his abilities. I know that as a fighter he is a very good fighter, but why don't people like him because it is a stupid game. You know, no one understands this one. I'm very polite, honestly. He looks stupid. You know it well. Nobody likes him, but as a fighter he is very. good fighter, you know and I respect his ability and that's why him here, you know, it's the biggest fight in the air and we'll see, give it a bleep, there's been talk about how much longer do you want to continue fighting, I mean, you've done it. . a lot in your career, this would be another big moment for you, what else do you want to achieve before you feel like you've done enough and don't need to fight, what else do you want to do before you say that's it?

You know I like challenges, you know, if you look when I fight in the corner, when I fight Bascom 48, when I fight like all my fights, you know, like these guys, one of the best in the world and when I see my legacy in the division . I think I have to fight stone in Ferguson, you know, if I want to become the best light, whatever it is, I have to beat this guy, that's why I'm here, you know? And that's why I have to fight a hitman. I'm a hitman at that. Now I have a worthy opponent.

I'm going to stop you from getting out of that cage or jumping over it. And then, Dana, I just wanted to ask you for one. You said all along that Conor McGregor doesn't believe this fight is going to happen and he does. he'll slide when was the last time you talked to him and it's still his opinion and yours, I mean is there a deadline he gave you on when he'd be willing to step in? Yeah, I have no idea, come on. don't even talk about that, how about that, come on, you talk about this fight not happening, that's a horrible question, John Morgan, suddenly, well, next question, oh, right here, Rodney James of Capeside Press, The first question is for Tony Ferguson, now first of all.

When UFC 209 didn't materialize, you came to this very stage, you addressed this audience and you had a lot of good things to say about Khabib, you were very respectful and I understand that there is an element of selling the fight, but has it gotten personal in this moment? period because it sounds like you're psychologically going after him, he owes me money, he got hurt at a high school and did the homeless thing, that's three strikes, you're out, in other words, it's gotten personal and you're a little more involved in this that I wasn't before, it's another fight I'm taking and everyone else is excited.

I'm pretty good, um, I don't really have to talk too much, it could be, not really. respect is there, there's shit, I'll bring the

press

ure from you Nanami and the fuel on the fire with a three-pointer it's a California man it's three strikes real dog you have an im

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ive winning streak Tony Ferguson if you win the undisputed championship You don't have much left to prove in addition to becoming world champion, which is obviously a benchmark for every fighter after that, how much longer do you think you will continue doing this and what else do you want to achieve?

I don't know that you're 42 years old right now, which is great. I mean, you can really compete until you see the moment when he will compete again. I mean, how much money can you make, but you miss out? I called him Connors, an athlete, see Beavs. As an athlete we will do this until I really mean personal relationships about them, family, friends, whatever, they will always have their opinions, but it doesn't matter, it depends on how you are, your mental strength competing and then what you do . What I'm going to do with this I have good support now that I have I've always had the support of the UFC I may not like the decisions of my previous previous management everything else that happens, but instead of complaining about it, we are here today and we're I'm going to make this fight happen at UFC 249, just one more for you and one more for Dana.

You seem to be in a very good mood. I commend you for addressing some mental health issues you know about and resolving them. It takes a lot of courage as a professional athlete, especially a lot of people look up to you. I was giving you props. Just wondering what the advice would be. Next question. I wasn't giving you advice, sir. It's okay, sir. white Just wanted to quickly go back to the last PPV, obviously the Texas Commission had some issues. I'm wondering if there are many updates as to their efforts to work on some of the issues they've had because we obviously want UFC in Texas as often as possible and they have some things they need to work out there.

Listen, it's not just Texas, it's a lot of what the Commission does, so you know, yes, the answer is yes, we love Texas. I am very good for the UFC and we will continue to go to Texas and I know that all of these athletic commissions are working to improve and do a better job from judging to refereeing etc. and we love you too. I never asked you this at a press

conference

. but yeah, I know you're a big fight fan, there are a lot of great fights tomorrow night, which one are you most excited about?

Yes, I hate to highlight any fight on the gray card, but I have been very bold with them. I'm really excited for you in a way I J Czech versus white Li Jiang I can't wait for it to arrive. I'm very excited for that fight, who has the next question? I think Floyd Mayweather said this week that he would take us six hundred million dollars to fight you. Any thoughts on that yeah for you it would be um so dad I don't have any questions my methods are what to say Mayweather if it's going to take six hundred million to get him to fight you. fight you, do you have any ideas about that six hundred million dollar fight? fight me for you, who will give him this money, not me, that's me too, I don't think I'll give him six hundred million dollars then, if you want to fight, we can fight like this okay eleven five eleven an MMA book and a mermaid Rhonda if you manage come on we can find you know you don't have it right it was eleven rounds we held auditions for eleven rounds that's a shadow opponent I don't talk to.

You, I'm not talking dirty to you either, you too, bat, we're already about the same size as the cook like Cormier right now, buddy, we have a choice, you know, we're already prepared while you're talking about boxing. I am right. dedicated goes out to fight with him in the Middle East, we often have, you know the work you need to concentrate on one and I think he will be a real dog, just on the way to the phone call, you won't have a word to say and I think my way sir, he is a very big name, he is a very big name, you know, and right now I have a big name and we can fight, but we need a really big name that could be 11 Romero 11 lead people once and my lives for me.

I'm ready, thanks B for Tony, I just want to ask you, you're wearing gloves and I think you have a baseball with you, for whatever reason, I told you I'm a hitman and there's a baseball in there. because they work well and lastly, for Dana South by Southwest, the music and arts festival was canceled today due to the corona virus outbreak. best legitimate question, I mean, it has to be a little worrying for any big event, so when it comes to the safety of the athletes and the fans and everything else, no matter where we go or what we do, we're always worried about That's what we've been thinking about for weeks dr.

Davidson has been involved and yeah, I mean, I don't know what else to say other than that. You whispered that we won't cancel the event. You said you said on Instagram live about an hour ago that they were singling out Jones. against Reyes that's also the case and what I said was that I'm interested in that, I think that's the fight that should happen, Jones, as it should happen, but we haven't done anything to stop that fight from happening, so There is no correct schedule. no, no, and he also said that Paulo Kozma is definitely the next to leave Sonia Romero, as long as he is healthy, he is the next and if he has given any indication of when he could return, he wanted, he wanted to return now, he is not a doctor , when the doctor tells us it's ready then we'll do it thanks guys Habib, it's good to see you out of this matchup, this title fight with Tony Ferguson el Cucuy in a perfect world is GSP George st.

Pierre, the best quality opponent you can face in your storybook career. I can, why not, I can, but everyone wonders why I never chose my opponents or fights. I am the champion and I have to defend my title right now. Who is happy? That's Tony Ferguson. After we can talk about this, why not open up the natural 170 pounds? I knocked everyone out. They had Ultimate Fighter I 170 GSP. He changed the game with nutritional supplementation by doing it the right way. He was the guy in my weight class that I had entered. man, that's the real man, I'll contact you right now, so El Cucuy, everyone's been talking about Conor McGregor being next for the hippy Conor McGregor, the substitute fighter, putting all this disrespect in the name of El Cucuy, How does that make you feel?

We're all talking about him, he's the next opponent, he'll disrespect you, you won't beat this guy, I haven't heard that I'm too busy, my academy was built with my own hands, I only had a couple of things, aatomic doll now, if you know. What an atomic fool there is in all the universities like this in the United States. I'm going to go out and outwork this guy. I'm going to point it out. I'm going to press it. He's afraid of cats like that. going to the area where a 12 year old boy, a brother, pinched his ankle.

Look at me, look at me buddy, respect, I got you right, last question hippie, I just want to set the record straight who won the race between your manager Ali. up the hill who's faster who won the race these guys are such troublemakers but you know he can build a lot of USU fighters you know this is my opinion you know he can fix things it was a hill, not a mountain I climbed Big Bear Mountain with a 45 pound Pack, when are you going up Big Bear, when will it happen? That's it, I can't hear you, keep going.

First question is for Habib Habib, as the fight was being promoted with Conor a few years ago, it became more and more personal it seems. like you want to prove a point and really crush him in that fight. Do you feel like Tony is being more assertive now? That this is getting more personal that you want to make a similar point to Tony? You ask me what I wear during the fight? got more personal against Conor, you really wanted to prove a point and crush him now it seems like the fight with Tony is getting more and more personal, so will you have the same chip on your shoulder going into this fight?

You can't take the cage - seriously - personally to your opponent because we have to relax you have to concentrate you have to follow your game plan you know it's like when I go to the cage you know I enjoy my opponents you know I enjoy when I tire them out when I make them tough, you know I can, Tony will be tougher than my other opponents, but who knows, who knows, we'll see on April 18th. April 18 is going to be a very important night for the history of the lightweight division, you know? and who will be in this fight, this guy will be the biggest light and I believe in myself, I believe in my abilities, you know, and only one thing makes me make this guy get a little old, just this one, you know, he 36 37 years old when I beat him people are going to talk about it oh he's old when he starts being 21 they'll get over me he'll work with me and all that other good stuff then we can talk until then they'll give you an ankle like a kid 12 year old like even being 36 isn't good for a lighter division, you know, it's who does it.

This is not like an old man's state. I just got old. I was, we will say, we will say, but James should, only I can. I don't understand Matt, I'm going to kill him and I'm always there to train, go there to know when I crush him and make him turn around and go out so my people want to talk about him when he hits you so hard in the stomach. You're going to piss blood, Tony boy, you guys are finally going to fight for the first time, but a few years ago you were here and made you wait for your seats, you or nine, at what point in your mind do you feel like you've actually done it?

I already beat Habib and this is really only the second fighter when he didn't show up the next day when we had all the Abdelaziz claiming to be the best manager and we just went over at the rules meeting and everything else you have. to do it the right way, dog, you got a phone call because you were watching someone watching me practice and I know who it was that took me, don't talk about my manager, my brother, I'm here, I'm not talking about your brother at all. I'm just saying it's a piece for both of us, gym, fat, hopper, cage, side seat belts, plus the money, aside from all that, you guys are widely considered the top two in your weight class for years, with all the fights they have had.

I have failed but you would fight in your front yard you would fight in the mountains you would fight in the middle of the street against each other how important is it to win this fight just to beat each other for each of you for each of you? say that you beat the other guy that many people consider the best in the world, leaving everything else aside, but that his children are bullies, he has never been in a street fight, he has never been thrown in a trash can or anything like that. Now you're with someone and you have to bring sunglasses.

I can't eat you. You understand why you never fight with them. If you are an American, an American, you cannot fight them directly. Here we go. I'm from a real mountain. I can eat. instantly, what are all you Americans talking about right there, this Carroll's jury? Americans today know about um, not where I'm from, I can eat, win, street fight, what are they talking about when they fight in the street, tell me when you fight them directly, when? You find this determination, okay, for example, in Oxnard Bay, okay, what is this? What is this? Oxford and Muskegon Michelle Tony look at me look when you fought last time when you fought last time in the street tell people the truth tell the three uh Anne it was one punch, what when you fight in a row, we talk about hops, you always told me , listen, I can't even use two nobodies, you think this is a cage fight, street, you think this is a cage fight, I'm going to throw you in the cage.

I'm going to break you into sleep. I understand barking at Jody and talking about who has the next question. I'm taking two more guys. This was supposed to happen in this fight for the first time in 2015. The fifth time it was scheduled. How has the preparation been? Change of strategy when entering this fight Tony first of all. He doesn't care about what he's doing. I have already finished my work. I already have my José. No, so I got rounds one through three and every single one I have. I don't worry about myself. until the round I mess with the fans he is me in the fight he said he had to put up with us here only two rounds news sports truth I am sports you have to have three rounds to be declared a professional sport now I don't know what they do it at home, but here it is We do it the right way.

You lie honestly, you lie, you don't care about my abilities, you are getting angry, it could be, of course, that I met you because you are a liar, you lie. I always worry about my opponents. You know when I fight Barboza I worry about anything you know, sometimes my legs walk when I fight the corner and they reward me with their left hand in yours when a fight wasn't ready hey everyone raise your hand if you think I'm already in no no no You lie, liar, little liar, you know, tell another truth, this, you can avoid it by talking, ask him why, well, now your bed, now you meant, come on, I will put my son wherever you fill, those people took you worried, no idea, man. you're learning from a mexican you want to make an ass you're not a real mexican hey, fake mexican what are you talking about you're just saying you're american now you're talking about your mexican where are you from where are you from where are you a great great prince of you know mexican story you know you're a girl walks no no no no no if you're a California boy not a Mexican boy this is very different shut up God Jack is standing I'm not going to drink I'm not going to keep you out of your culture, since you love your company, so That you sent another Walker and told your boys I'm real, what you could be, no, no, I'm the real mountain, but to you, the Mexican is real, fake. own use, Tony, yes, a nice birthday, no, today they will have very few where you, Ferguson, not you, Méndez Ocelot, like that, can you help yourself, son?

Now you talk about your new Mexican, what are you talking about? NS, where, girl, Dennis, well, who is it. I have the next question you fake a B we know who your least favorite opponent in history is this the number two least favorite for you so dad don't listen Cup we know he's angry we know the opponent we're on said the second best good luck in training camp I'm already halfway there I started in December oh no no no no no no listen listen listen listen people you know like to fight, I respect them but as a human being I know I understand this guy a little without his mind, you know? a bit stupid guy honestly since I don't understand him as a fighter I respect him as a person I don't know him at this moment he has proven to be the only one who gets along although he talked about the Mexican he is not going to waste a day with you because you are going to have to answer me I am from Pakistan Russia You know you're going to have the idea for me I'm not going to go in there You know you're not without your friends This is a crazy guy I thought this a little does poop well he's one on one or things for you happy but one on one me I would look one by one what do you know what he's trying to do for anyone and what do you know you and your team are trying to corner my family again to happy, happy, do you think he's trying to say these things to upset you now, you never know, like no one It could have its repercussions, you know, no one would know, but this is unreal, you know, of course, he makes me angry right now because he lied, you know that like he's not Mexican, you owe me 200 thousand, shut up, he's a fake Mexican, This is true, you know, I told the truth to speak American and I'm Mexican and I'm proud of Tony and I'm brown now it's good and 10 other people go. through your American and you're proud, but don't talk about Mexico Tony Dorsett Frame XE Hey, don't train here, then dog, get out, don't talk about Mexico.

Hey, it's already over, so you don't have a chance to try. go to war with the champion trying to come back but now you can, there is only one king of man Israel in asagna, he has taken this sport by storm, he hits 18 and o7o within the UFC, who can stop that man first? Brunson was a guy, gasp. was a guy is the guy people who casually think Romero is the guy so I say, okay let's see if this guy can do it wildly so sell, warning Mero, he's one of the most explosive guys in the whole world, easy, see you soon, boy. he's not ready for this I'm the champion, let's go if Sonia Pierce has survived he always printed a freak of nature a cruel knockout John Whaley has 120 bytes in a row the first Chinese UFC champion It wasn't a message that I'm going to take what belongs to me she doesn't know what's coming stoic pin is back she likes to dominate she fights to finish she has power this bad blood is as real as nature can be oh amazing