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SPORTS Monday 20 January 2020

Conor McGregor holds all the UFC cards after comeback win

LAS VEGAS (AP) — After tried to goad McGregor
three years without a vic- in curious fashion by wear-
tory, Conor McGregor ing the same Versace robe
needed only 40 seconds that McGregor famously
to reclaim his place at the wore a few years ago to an
center of the mixed martial open workout.
arts world. Lightweight contender
McGregor's dynamic stop- Justin Gaethje fights in a
page of Donald Cerrone in reckless, crowd-pleasing
UFC 246 on Saturday night style guaranteed to make
put the Irish superstar firmly a compelling matchup
in control of the future of for the similarly aggressive
two UFC divisions. McGregor. Another must-
Every elite lightweight and see bout would be a third
welterweight will practical- fight with imperious veter-
ly beg for his shot against a an Nate Diaz, who fought
fighter who still commands twice in 2019 after his own
the world's attention like three-year break.
nobody else. A refocused But White wants McGregor
McGregor seems eager to to wait for a fight against
make up for lost time af- lightweight champion
ter three years of inactiv- Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, left, fights Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone during a UFC 246 welterweight mixed mar-
ity and outside-the-cage who beat McGregor in tial arts bout Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Las Vegas.
misbehavior, suggesting October 2018 and subse- Associated Press
he could fight three more quently sparked an ugly
times this year. brawl outside the cage. fans scoff at this entire ven- there whenever. ... Floyd is dent achieves it all. I prob-
"The whole world lights up The bad feelings from that ture, the wider world still going through money fast. ably had to go through all
when I fight," McGregor promotion haven't healed, appears to be fascinated He is far from retired. That that and then just come
said. "So I want to get back and White believes the re- by these spectacles, as rematch will happen." back for the love."
out there again." match could rival the prof- evidenced by the money Before he beat Cerrone, McGregor was still the big-
He hadn't made a decision itability of McGregor's box- made by McGregor and McGregor suggested he gest star in the game even
by the time he left T-Mobile ing match with Floyd May- Mayweather in 2017 in one could fight again at UFC while he lost both of his UFC
Arena late Saturday night weather. of the richest pay-per-view 248 on March 7 if he didn't belts, dabbled in boxing
with a broad smile on his "With how Khabib won the bouts in boxing history. take too much punish- and focused on whiskey,
face and a bottle of his first time and how famous Mayweather turns 43 next ment. Cerrone failed to both as a successful distiller
own branded whiskey in Khabib has become, we're month and has fought land a single strike, so Mc- and an eager consumer.
hand. McGregor plans to looking at Hagler-Hearns," once since 2015, but he Gregor came out totally McGregor and Nurma-
speak with UFC President White said. "We're looking immediately posted a unscathed — but it could gomedov then engaged
Dana White and billion- at like Ali-Foreman, Ali-Fra- mocked-up advertisement still take a bit longer than in a dark, ugly promotion of
aire ex-UFC owner Lorenzo zier. This is a massive fight for the rematch on his In- seven weeks to sort out his their first bout. Away from
Fertitta before he decides with global appeal. This is stagram page Saturday next step. the cameras, McGregor
whether to pursue a cham- the fight that you make. night. McGregor ripped it At least the first simultane- was training erratically and
pionship belt, a revenge This is the fight that makes because the graphic artist ous two-division champion enjoying too much of the
fight, an absurdly lucrative sense." didn't include the logo for in UFC history appears to good life created by his
boxing match or any com- But Nurmagomedov is McGregor's promotional be taking that next step stardom.
bination of the three. booked to face Tony Fergu- company. He jokingly sug- with sure footing. The spot- He says he escaped that
The contenders already son at UFC 249 in April, and gested that slight means light never left McGregor, cloud late last year, and
are lining up. McGregor would prefer not he'll instead fight Manny but he didn't seem capa- McGregor believes his per-
Popular welterweight to wait until late summer for Pacquiao, who has also ble of meeting its demands formance against Cerrone
brawler Jorge Masvidal his next bout. Instead, he declared his interest in the in recent years. showed the way to even
would welcome a show- half-seriously predicted the payday that comes with "I'd achieved it all, right?" brighter days if he can stay
down, while welterweight Nurmagomedov-Ferguson giving a boxing lesson to McGregor said. "I broke the on this path.
champion Kamaru Usman bout will be scrapped and McGregor. game before I was 30 years "I love that whiskey, but
would love to defend his he'll be forced to step in. "I certainly would love the of age. One belt became you've got to respect it,"
title against McGregor. McGregor also could bide rematch with Floyd," Mc- not enough. I achieved it McGregor said. "You've
Both fighters watched Mc- his time with another ab- Gregor said. "It very well all. (Coach) John (Kavana- got to respect that liquid,
Gregor's victory from cag- surdly lucrative boxing could happen this year. The gh) says it's the worst night- because if you don't, it will
eside, and Masvidal even match. While most fight one with Manny will also be mare for a coach if a stu- come and get you."q

Kyle Larson finally wins elusive Chili Bowl in 13th try

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Kyle end his frustrating streak of emotions 365 days but this is bad (expletive)." That's almost half my age,"
Larson scored one of the of futility and deny Bell a later," Larson said on the Larson collected the cov- Larson said. "I've been
biggest victories of his ca- fourth consecutive win in MavTV broadcast. "I feel eted Golden Driller tro- coming here for 13 years,
reer by ending an 0-for-12 the prestigious dirt race. like I'm going to pass out. phy and the 27-year-old, and it feels better than I
streak to finally win the Chili Bell passed Larson on the I'm sorry NASCAR, I'm sorry still smarting a bloodshot can imagine." Bell, who
Bowl Midget Nationals. final lap of last year's Chili Daytona, but this is the big- eye from a nasty crash in moves full-time in NASCAR
Larson passed Christopher Bowl to hand the NASCAR gest (expletive) race I've New Zealand last month, this year to the Cup Series,
Bell with 17 laps in Satur- star a crushing defeat. ever won. I hope to win seemed in disbelief was second and Cannon
day night's main event to "Its a pretty different range Daytona in a few weeks "It's taken me 13 years. McIntosh was third.q