Getty
Conor McGregor was as calm, cool and collected as he’s ever been during a UFC press conference, but the MMA star still didn’t mince words when asked if he’d have any trouble at all beating upcoming UFC 246 opponent Donald Cerrone.
“I can read Donald. You know, I like him a lot. He’s a good guy. But I can read Donald like a children’s book, to be honest, you know,” said McGregor.
McGregor made the comments alongside Cerrone and UFC president Dana White Wednesday evening at the UFC 246 press conference at the Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Still, McGregor’s new attitude was evident during the press conference as even these types of comments were often combined with praises for Cerrone’s career and ability.
“He’s a good fighter,” said McGregor. “He’s got some good tricks up his sleeve, but I know the tricks he has. I know what he’s planning, what he hopes to achieve, but we’re well prepared.”
UFC 246 takes place Saturday, Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view event is being exclusively distributed by ESPN+ in the U.S.
Follow the Heavy on UFC Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Can McGregor Notch First Win Since 2016?
McGregor, 31, from Dublin, is winless in the UFC since UFC 205 in 2016 when the Irishman defeated Eddie Alvarez to become the company’s original “champ champ”. The popular MMA star has only fought once with the company over the last 38 months.
McGregor lost that fight via fourth-round submission to undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor’s only other action as a fighter was a 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. where McGregor suffered a 10th round stoppage loss.
Still, McGregor is considered one of the very best fighters in the world, and most people expect him to get back to his winning ways against Cerrone.
Active ‘Cowboy’ Very Dangerous
Cerrone has been much more active over that same timeframe, though with mixed results. The real-life cowboy and popular action fighter will enter Saturday’s contest having lost two straight fights. Tony Ferguson defeated Cerrone in June 2019 by second-round stoppage, and Justine Gaethje scored the knockout in just one round just three months later.
But Cerrone had notched three straight wins before hitting the skid, and the 36-year-old has been inside the Octagon a total of 11 times since McGregor defeated Alvarez at UFC 205. Moreover, Cerrone is a well-rounded fighter who has knocked out opponents with stunning kicks and submitted them with smart ground attacks. He holds company records for wins, bonuses and finishes. “Cowboy” is no easy out.
UFC 246 Fight Card Information
UFC 246 features a slew of fights on Saturday. The action begins with the Early Prelims on UFC Fight Pass at 6:30 pm ET. The Prelims start at 8 pm ET on ESPN. That portion of the event will feature rising star Maycee Barber against veteran Roxanne Modafferi, among other fights.
Most importantly, the Main Card is scheduled to begin at 10 pm ET on ESPN+ PPV.
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV)
Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone
Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington
Maurice Greene vs. Aleksei Oleinik
Claudia Gadelha vs. Alexa Grasso
Diego Ferreira vs. Anthony Pettis
Prelims (ESPN)
Maycee Barber vs. Roxanne Modafferi
Andre Fili vs. Sodiq Yusuff
Drew Dober vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Grant Dawson vs. Chas Skelly
Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass)
Aleksa Camur vs. Justin Ledet
Askar Askarov vs. Tim Elliott
Brian Kelleher vs. Ode Osbourne
J.J. Aldrich vs. Sabina Mazo
READ NEXT: Five Reasons ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone Can Upset Conor McGregor