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You may have heard that last week, former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor allegedly attacked a bus, causing a huge ruckus ahead of UFC 223 that ended up removing three fights from the event. The event was so bad it prompted Dana White to call it the “most disgusting thing to ever happen in UFC history.” While that may be hyperbolic, most are in agreement that McGregor’s actions were entirely out of bounds. Take UFC lightweight contender Kevin Lee, for instance.
Lee has been trying to position himself for a fight with McGregor since his failed interim title bid last October, and in a pair of recent interviews, Lee went off on McGregor, saying he’s acting out because he’s not tough enough to actually fight the guys who are competing at the top of the division.
”Real recognize real,” Lee told Helen Yee. “It’s childish, it’s immature, it’s all of the above. I think Dana put it best, it’s just disgusting. He’s taking from other people’s careers too and he doesn’t even really understand what he’s doing. I think a lot of that is just frustration. I think the man knows he’s not the real champ. He knows he’s getting out-shined by all these guys and he just wants that press. he wants to prove that he’s tough, when we can see right through the bulls**t. You ain’t that tough. No matter how big you want to scream and shout, you’re just not that tough. If you were tough enough you’d sign that line and fight somebody. To show up, do all that big hoopla, you know you weren’t gonna get anything from it except some bad publicity.”
McGregor got more than bad publicity. The former champion was arrested and is currently facing multiple charges stemming from the attack. He will also likely be sued by one or more parties who were injured during the melee, not so mention how his sponsors will feel about the incident. At the end of the day, Lee says, McGregor’s “cokehead” antics were a bad choice that just don’t make any sense.
“I think you have to blame the media for blowing the dude’s head up and him feeling that his s*** don’t stink and all this,” Lee told MMAWeekly. “I think a lot of what you see is frustration. I think he knows he ain’t been the champ for a while and he didn’t know what else to do. He’s acting like a child and it’s retarded. Ya know, I ain’t going to give that cokehead too much press.”
“I think Conor wants to be this gangster and he wants to be this thug, but he ain’t really from there, ya know. I got in this game to get away from that, to get away from having to do s*** like that. It seems he is trying to get there and then going back to where I came from. It’s backwards to me and it doesn’t really make sense. You can tell the man don’t really know what he’s doing because when you have that type of money, you ain’t supposed to throw s***. He’s supposed to be somewhere holding up a newspaper in front of a camera, ‘I ain’t nowhere near the scene, but somebody will get touched!’ That whole situation is laughable to somebody like me.”
Despite his harsh words for McGregor though, Lee says he wishes nothing but the best for “Notorious” because at the end of the day, he would like the chance to fight with him.
“It’s dangerous to start drinking that Kool-Aid. Like I said, I think the man truly knows he’s not the real champ and he doesn’t stack up well against us big three: Khabib, Tony, and me. He’s gonna lose to all three of us. Then you have the fact that the man’s not a real gangster. He might have grown up poor but they were like, working class, they ain’t really from the streets. He wants to be from the streets so bad.
“[But] I wish him nothing but the best. I hope nothing bad on the man. I wish him the best, I wish he could turn it around. I’m looking to make some money with him.”
Kevin Lee takes on Edson Barboza in the main event of UFC Atlantic City, on April 21.
MUST-READ STORIES
Bravery. Paige VanZant opens up for the first time about being raped in new book.
Understand. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach blasts Joe Rogan’s UFC 223 commentary.
Change. Robert Whittaker: ‘Yoel Romero doesn’t have much room in his arsenal for change’.
NAC. Paul Felder thinks NAC would have allowed him to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Can’t wait. Bare Knuckle FC promoting first state-sanctioned bare-knuckle card since 1889.
VIDEO STEW
The MMA After Hour.
MayMac 2 discussion.
Ronda.
KO of the Week.
Ariel on The Rich Eisen show.
LISTEN UP
Fights Gone By. Taking a look at everything that happened at UFC 223.
Obviously Fight Talk. Recapping UFC 223 and previewing UFC Fight Night Glendale.
Bushido Talk. Recapping UFC 223.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
So this is a beef that happened over the weekend and was just escalated.
Well there goes @TheNotoriousMMA lossing his @BurgerKing deal faster than @JonnyBones lost his @Nike deal!! Or did he?? More more problems
— Tyson Griffin (@TysonGriffin) April 5, 2018
@TysonGriffin my dream was to be sponsored by Nike as a high school wrestler, became an adult and made it happen. Even had my own sneaker which sold out within a day.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 7, 2018
@TysonGriffin What ever happened with your Nike deal, I don’t remember. I’ll wait...
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 7, 2018
@TysonGriffin You can tell by the tone of your tweet that you’re happy Connor may be losing his deal. Disguise yourself as an MMA coach or a MMA personality, I just see a bitter bitch who’s the size of my dick
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 7, 2018
2 years ago I kept this private because I almost felt bad for @JonnyBones but now I’ll just let you all judge for yourselves. pic.twitter.com/s4eZfv8M25
— Tyson Griffin (@TysonGriffin) April 10, 2018
Thanks for the hate aka love @JonnyBones we are all one my brother. Just keep trying to be a better role model and focus on being a “Great Champion” No one is perfect but winning and money isn’t everything. You have taught me that
— Tyson Griffin (@TysonGriffin) April 10, 2018
I may have took a jab @TheNotoriousMMA during his rampage but just like that man tried to steal the spotlight @JonnyBones is trying to make this all about him and apparently it’s too soon to joke about his nike deal.
— Tyson Griffin (@TysonGriffin) April 10, 2018
@TysonGriffin It’s hilarious that you reposted our private messages, I meant every word I said. At first I thought your hatred was DC related but now I’m starting to think you are just an envious little bastard.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 10, 2018
@TysonGriffin At the end of the day, I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty fun shitting on you. Just because I’m the bigger man doesn’t mean I have to sit back be quiet and listen to your cyber attack.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 10, 2018
@TysonGriffin hope this has gained you a few more followers. I’m sure you were reply to my last message. Be quiet for a while and come out with more hatred in a few more months. It’s your pattern. You’re cute, my little pet
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 10, 2018
@TysonGriffin last thing, don’t call me brother. My brothers are over 6 feet and champions... Hitting me with that soft shit after getting verbally body bagged. Stop throwing tomatoes from the sidelines bro, you’re whack
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 10, 2018
Khabib is insane.
Preach.
The lack of professionalism in our "sport" encourages this type of behavior out of some MMA fans. For @PaigeVanzantUFC to speak on something such as this and make herself vulnerable to past scars shows a great deal of bravery. https://t.co/AXKYTI6DCm
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) April 10, 2018
The Canadian Gangster.
But were you impressed !? https://t.co/BUxFUMM9lG
— Olivier Aubin (@oliaubin) April 10, 2018
Big couple of days for OAM.
Dream do come true ! https://t.co/DjrXhm6pKi
— Olivier Aubin (@oliaubin) April 10, 2018
Surgery.
ACL Reconstruction underway pic.twitter.com/km9e1yrpsQ
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) April 10, 2018
It will never cease to amaze me when people who lost still talk trash. Gotta respect that hustle.
And the @ufc told me how many excuses you made not to fight me @TJDillashaw ♂️ ♂️ ♂️ https://t.co/dCU3tjfc0o
— Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove) April 10, 2018
Now compare this to the UFC’s 224 poster from yesterday.
How awesome is this poster!!! #KSW44 #Bedorf #Pudzian
— Alan Murphy (@AlanMurphyMMA) April 10, 2018
Battle of the Titans!!! pic.twitter.com/1mmkNImNs4
Or the the UFC Chile poster.
¡POSTER OFICIAl #UFCChile!
— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) April 10, 2018
.
.
¡Se agotan los boletos! Compra Aquí ➡️ https://t.co/CjwarWDwIh pic.twitter.com/LW4XTDJHfs
A good look at Khabib’s homecoming.
This is the fight that should be made.
Nono, first then@you can fight@who ever, But I need some taste of platinum!!!
— Emil Valhalla Meek (@emilvalhalla) April 10, 2018
Killer fist pose.
The perfect backdrop for today’s press conference announcing our first ever Rome event set for July 14th! #BellatorRome
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 10, 2018
Full event details here ➡️ https://t.co/NIq35fvdZJ pic.twitter.com/asTsAw6quW
The strongest MMA base.
I just got back from New York and literally all I did today was surf all day. Feels good to be back home.
— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) April 11, 2018
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Patricio Freire (26-4) vs. Daniel Weichel (39-9); Bellator, July 14.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2009: Nick Diaz stopped Frank Shamrock with punches at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz. That night, Gilbert Melendez won the Strikeforce interim lightweight championship with a stoppage of Rodrigo Damm.
2014: Roy Nelson knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 39.
2015: Mirko Cro Cop got his revenge, stopping Gabriel Gonzaga with strikes at UFC Fight Night 64. This fight was the last of Cro Cop’s UFC career.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Take it easy and see y’all tomorrow.
EXIT POLL
Poll
Will Kevin Lee become a UFC champion?
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