Conor McGregor: Zingano Looked Rushed
Ariel Helwani caught up with Conor McGregor at the launch of the new Reebok ZPump in New York yesterday. McGregor’s purpose there was to promote the new product, but when Helwani asked him whether Cat Zingano tried to hit him with her hat during her entrance at UFC 184, conversation quickly shifted to the fight itself:
“When she was making her entrance… it almost looked like she was in like a rush”, McGregor told Helwani. “And I was kind of thinking, there and then, she needs to settle, she needs to find comfort in the environment because without comfort in the environment everything is rushed.”
“The Notorious” expressed his admiration for Zingano and women’s MMA in general, but said that he thought Zingano looked hasty as she entered the arena. According to McGregor, this lack of composure, especially against an opponent of Rousey’s calibre, may have been what cost her the fight:
“Ronda particularly, judo in particular, it’s about using your opponents momentum against them. That… that rush. It’s about using that against them and capitalising on that. And that is exactly how the contest came out. She came out guns blazing, she came out with her flying knee, she came out trying to tie up, and then Ronda, from years of experience in her Judo background, she used that momentum, ended up on top and caught a beautiful armbar.””
McGregor had high praise for the champion and said that Zingano had not fallen in his estimation with the loss. He also expressed interest in a rematch:
“Ronda is an absolute machine. She is phenomenal. Honestly, I’m probably her biggest fan. The way she’s able to handle everything, and the way she comes out, and she does her game. She is unbelieveable”, said McGregor. “I don’t knock Cat for this. She will be back. I said to Lorenzo after the fight, I said, ‘I’d love to see that again’.”
Perhaps Zingano will heed McGregor’s words and we will see a more composed version of the challenger should the opportunity of a rematch arise. “The Notorious” meanwhile, has his hands full with a title fight with current UFC Featherweight Champion José Aldo booked for July 11 at UFC 189.
Check out the interview in full below:
