With the days winding down to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 196 where Conor McGregor will attempt to make history by taking on the lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, UFC President Dana White believes that it looks crazy but with a purpose.
McGregor, ever the brash-talking fighter that most mix martial arts (MMA) talents in the UFC want to shut down, has proven that he is as good as his mouth. After winning that stunning 13-second knockout (KO) win over Jose Aldo at UFC 194 last month, White is convinced that despite higher stakes, McGregor can come out of it with flying colors.
But against dos Anjos, he does leave some reservations. For a guy who has disposed the likes of Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson who are at the proper weight level, one can only imagine how McGregor would come out of the match if he is not careful.
Win or lose, however, McGregor doesn't lose anything but a piece of his pride. He will remain the UFC featherweight champion and like be up and about to defend it next.
"His mental warfare game is better than anything I've ever seen in how he gets in guys' heads immediately. Very intelligent, calculated. Conor McGregor is a very interesting guy," shared White when he appeared on "Opie with Jim Norton".
Can his mind games work and distract dos Anjos heading to UFC 196? If the previous press conference face-off was any indication, the reigning UFC lightweight champion looks unfazed. He witnessed firsthand what McGregor could do and, surprisingly, didn't bite.
The situation changes, of course, when the two square off inside the Octagon. Dos Anjos promises a beating and has likely gone over what the Irishman can do.
Dos Anjos will lose a lot if he allows McGregor to win. McGregor would end up with two UFC division titles and he would come out with nothing but a bruised ego.
