The UFC is entering the second of five straight fight weekends, all taking voice from Flash Discussion board in Abu Dhabi. UFC President Dana White rechristened the venue as Wrestle Island, and there are a variety of major bouts taking voice, including tonight’s Irene Aldana–Holly Holm bantamweight predominant match.
Closing weekend’s UFC 253 card used to be highlighted by the dominance of the undefeated Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, which has led to hypothesis of an Adesanya–Jon Jones fight. There has also been no doubt wide focus on Conor McGregor, who made himself a serious talking level following supreme Saturday’s pay per look.
White spoke with Sports actions Illustrated about quite a bit of topics, including McGregor’s future, the opportunity of an Adesanya-Jones fight, and whether he believes there might be any shot of every other heavyweight title bout for Brock Lesnar.
Designate J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports actions
Justin Barrasso: It always seems as if, when Conor McGregor goes into this mode, he is preparing to gather a comeback and fight yet again.
Dana White: This used to be a irregular one. This used to be more extraordinary and quite quite a bit of than anything he’s done sooner than. There’s almost a pattern here. After we’re about to enact a large fight—and Israel Adesanya broke a ton of records supreme week in a world, massive fight—the day sooner than that fight, he starts asserting he’s going to fight this man and that man. It’s almost like stealing Adesanya’s insist. Nonetheless he does it at any time when there’s a substantial fight.
Barrasso: I know you reported to Barstool that you just offered McGregor and Dustin Poirier a fight, and I know Poirier tweeted that he licensed. Are we any nearer to that?
White: We offered Conor a fight. We made him a proposal.
Barrasso: The predominant match this weekend’s card is Holly Holm–Irene Aldena. What does it indicate to have two ladies headline this card, especially in Abu Dhabi, and the very best contrivance does that refer to the UFC’s total contrivance?
White: Witness at the Michelle Waterson–Angela Hill fight from a pair weeks within the past. That’s one of the sickest five-spherical fights you’ll ever peek. I fabricate not have any tell headlining ladies anywhere within the world.
Barrasso: Irene Aldana’s future prospects in combating are no doubt exciting. In a division the set aside Amanda Nunes has bustle thru so many folks, you always see for the next substantial opponent. Aldana never had that hype, but she established herself by factual beating up her opponents. She’s within the cage with Holm, who’s regularly one accumulate some distance from a title shot, but is Irene the next substantial significant particular person of the bantamweight division?
White: It’s going to be exciting. We’ve bought to see what peek she does this weekend. I quiz of her to set aside moderately a pair of rigidity on Holly, no doubt protect in her face, and throw a total bunch punches. We’ll peek the very best contrivance it turns out, but Irene is hard. The tell for her is that Amanda Nunes is an absolute f—— savage. She is mostly badass, and he or she’s beat everyone—and a pair of of them twice.
Barrasso: It’s this kind of privilege to ogle Nunes fight. And with a brand new toddler, I know the double champ is now embracing the enjoyment of parenthood, but if Aldana defeats Holm, will we gather a Nunes-Aldana fight sooner than the discontinuance of the 365 days?
White: Amanda’s first fight serve won’t be with Irene. I mediate she’ll defend her 145-pound title this 365 days, then the 135-pound title next 365 days.
Barrasso: With an election looming, politics is this kind of pivotal topic correct thru the voice, including the UFC. There is a Opponents for Trump rally across Florida this weekend that aspects UFC significant particular person Jorge Masvidal at three quite quite a bit of rallies with Donald Trump Jr. How did that come collectively? Were you appealing?
White: No, Masvidal reached out to Don Jr. His folks came from Cuba, and he is aware of what’s it resolve to dwell in that kind of an ambiance. He doesn’t like what’s going on correct now on this nation, and he desired to make stronger Trump. That used to be all on his delight in.
Very like folks are correct thru me, asserting “Colby Covington said this and said that,” or on the flip aspect, Tyron Woodley came out with all Unlit Lives Topic on, and his answer to every request used to be “Unlit Lives Topic”—I don’t tell these guys what to deliver. They’re their very delight in folks and so that they’ll enact whatever they need. Here is The US. Everyone can have an thought, and everyone can resolve to vote for whoever they need.
Barrasso: One more predominant match on Wrestle Island is the UFC 254 marquee pitting Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov against Justin Gaethe. If Khabib punishes Gaethe within the an identical arrangement he has everyone else, will we ever peek the reputedly cursed Khabib–Tony Ferguson fight?
White: If Khabib does beat Gaethe, you gather Tony Ferguson every other fight, which we’re working on correct now. And hopefully that fight with Khabib happens because I know folks must see it.
I don’t mediate I’ve ever seen a fight topple apart as yet again and yet again as those two. It almost scares me to gather the fight yet again. What’s going to happen? An asteroid involves earth? That’s the stage of putrid this part is.
Barrasso: In the case of heavyweight, is the next fight Jon Jones vs. Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic? Stipe has had some marquee fights, but has never turn out to be a large significant particular person within the very best contrivance Jon has—if he had been to defeat Jon, would he ascend into that next stage of stardom?
White: I mediate so. And if not that next stage of stardom, it will positively wait on, but he’s already the ideal heavyweight ever.
Barrasso: I know there usually aren’t any contemporary plans for Brock Lesnar to come serve serve, but if Jon Jones wins the Heavyweight Championship, does that at all entice you to gather the Brock fight? Those are two as soon as-in-a-skills athletes, and that fight might perchance fabricate over three million buys. Is a fight against Lesnar a possibility if Jones wins the belt?
White: I don’t mediate Lesnar would come serve yet again. Lesnar’s made moderately a pair of money, and alongside side his age and all the pieces else, I factual don’t peek it taking place. What’s a large fight, if it finally ends up taking place, is Adesanya versus Jones. I mediate that is more likely [than Lesnar-Jones].
I always squawk combating is a young man’s game. Brock came in here when no one f—— thought he might perchance, and predicament what he did. He turned the Heavyweight Champion. He’s accomplished all the pieces you might discontinue. To come serve serve and fight Jones, it shall be all relating to the money, and money is one part that man doesn’t need.
Barrasso: There are quite quite a bit of major fights creating all the contrivance thru this stretch on Wrestle Island. Marlon Moraes–Cory Sandhagen next weekend is a extraordinarily major fight for the bantamweight division. Moraes had a title fight that didn’t lope his arrangement, but he’s one of the high athletes over the past five years in that division, and Sandhagen is on a run, attempting to prove he’s working on an upper echelon.
Plus, in two weeks, we’ll peek “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung in a serious match against Brian Ortega. Ortega is broadly thought about one of the very best within the world, and he is working his arrangement serve into the title image. Does the winner of this fight gather a shot at the Featherweight belt?
White: Certain, I mediate so. First, this kid has significant particular person written correct thru him. He used to be known as into the armed forces within the highest of his career in South Korea. Then he will get out and has that incredible fight with Yair [Rodriguez]. He will get caught with one second left with that loopy elbow. He’s battled a pair accidents and had some putrid excellent fortune alongside the very best contrivance, but here’s a substantial fight with Ortega. I’m inflamed it’s lastly taking place. Whoever wins this fight, it catapults one of those guys into a shot at the title.
Justin Barrasso might perchance be reached at [email protected]. Be aware him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
