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LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor doesn't always attend fight week fighter meetings with the UFC broadcast team.
Ahead of UFC 329, however, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) elected to make an appearance. Perhaps the most central figure in those meetings is UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik, who has long preached that a lot can be taken not only from what the fighters say but how they present themselves.
Anik spoke to both McGregor and opponent Max Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) days prior to Saturday's event at T-Mobile and peeled back the curtain on his takeaways as he spoke with MMA Junkie and other reporters on the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet Thursday.
"A lot of you guys know Max Holloway told me in 2021 that he wanted to take a fight at middleweight before all was said and done," Anik said. "Not only am I not surprised to see him at 170, I'm not surprised that he looks very good as a welterweight. If you saw the picture of him with Robert Whittaker, they look like they're the same size. We don't always get a fighter meeting with Conor McGregor. We had a fighter meeting with Conor, and I asked him, 'Why are you back?' He's back to prove his love of the game.
"When you have financial freedom like he does, when your Bank of America or Bank of Ireland checking account is that robust, you don't willingly sign up to get punched in the face by Max Holloway unless you're trying to bolster your MMA legacy and prove your love of the game. I couldn't have been more impressed by Conor in our fighting meeting. I know people are more concerned with actions than words. But if the words are a tell, lean into them. Because he was great."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jon Anik gives inside perspective on UFC 329 fighter meeting with Conor McGregor
Continue reading...
Ahead of UFC 329, however, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) elected to make an appearance. Perhaps the most central figure in those meetings is UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik, who has long preached that a lot can be taken not only from what the fighters say but how they present themselves.
Anik spoke to both McGregor and opponent Max Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) days prior to Saturday's event at T-Mobile and peeled back the curtain on his takeaways as he spoke with MMA Junkie and other reporters on the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet Thursday.
"A lot of you guys know Max Holloway told me in 2021 that he wanted to take a fight at middleweight before all was said and done," Anik said. "Not only am I not surprised to see him at 170, I'm not surprised that he looks very good as a welterweight. If you saw the picture of him with Robert Whittaker, they look like they're the same size. We don't always get a fighter meeting with Conor McGregor. We had a fighter meeting with Conor, and I asked him, 'Why are you back?' He's back to prove his love of the game.
"When you have financial freedom like he does, when your Bank of America or Bank of Ireland checking account is that robust, you don't willingly sign up to get punched in the face by Max Holloway unless you're trying to bolster your MMA legacy and prove your love of the game. I couldn't have been more impressed by Conor in our fighting meeting. I know people are more concerned with actions than words. But if the words are a tell, lean into them. Because he was great."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jon Anik gives inside perspective on UFC 329 fighter meeting with Conor McGregor
Continue reading...
