Getty Conor McGregor celebrates his first round TKO victory against Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout during UFC246.
There were a lot of conversations going into UFC 246 about fighters like Conor “Notorious” McGregor and Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and the stakes that they were facing. And now there are conversations about both fighters moving forward after their victories. Both athletes were able to get their hand raised, with Notorious defeating Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone by TKO in 40 seconds and Holm defeating Raquel “Rocky” Pennington by unanimous decision.
Mcgregor, Holm and UFC president Dana White participated in individual press conferences to give their own perspectives on the fights and what their thoughts are about the future. All parties said a lot, but here are some of the highlights:
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Dana White
Dana White reveals that UFC 246 had the fourth-highest gate ever, with $11.1 million. 19,040 people attended the event. White also reveals that he handed out five performance bonuses to Drew Dober, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Brian Kelleher, Aleksei Oleinik and Conor McGregor. Each fighter will earn an extra $50,000.
White believes that McGregor looked “ridiculous” at UFC 246. He is wildly impressed with the way that McGregor dispatched Cerrone, highlighting his speed, technique and strength.
The UFC president also spent some time talking about Cerrone and some of his online detractors. White doesn’t believe that Cowboy is “shot”; he thinks that McGregor looked unbelievable, and that’s why the fight ended so quickly.
When asked about McGregor’s next fight, White likes the idea of McGregor rematching UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He believes that the second fight between the two could be a remarkably successful event. To remind fans, the first match between the two fighters sold the most pay-per-views in UFC history.
It’s important to note that Nurmagomedov is currently scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 249.
Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm
Holm tells the media that she was hoping to have a more exciting performance, but it was tough for her to do that because of the “scrappy” nature of Pennington. The Preacher’s Daughter also spoke about fighting for gold again. She wants to get another shot, and she is willing to take any path necessary. Holm believes that she’s stronger than all the other bantamweights and she is ready to work her way back up the ladder.
Conor “Notorious” McGregor
McGregor was happy to prove to the critics that he doesn’t just have a left hand. He jokes that they must say he “has a left shoulder as well.” Notorious views the analysts that said that he only has a left hand for a weapon as “highly disrespectful.”
Notorious was expecting Cerrone to go for a head kick finish, and he’s happy that he was able to catch Cerrone with a head kick instead. He continues to speak highly of Cowboy during the press conference, even calling for the UFC to give him a special belt for all of the records that he has obtained. McGregor reiterates that he was honored to share the Octagon with Cowboy.
In terms of training, he is going to celebrate this weekend, but wants to get back into the gym early next week. Notorious says during the presser that he is more focused on a fight date than an actual opponent. McGregor is considering a fight with plenty of fighters, including Masvidal, Diaz, Mayweather and Nurmagomedov.
To watch the entire post-fight press conference, click here.