Report: RDA, Not Conor McGregor, Holding Up UFC 197 Negotiations
After a salivating bit of news popped last week that shining star featherweight champion Conor McGregor would be moving up a weight class to fight surging champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of March 5’s UFC 197, the MMA world understandably couldn’t stop their collective jaws from dropping to the floor.
But a possibly disappointing report came this morning that speculated the fight was set to be announced during last night’s NFC wild card NFL playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins until a contract dispute involving McGregor had caused the announcement to be postponed.
Dos Anjos’ manager Ali Abdelaziz quickly tweeted out some accusatory words for McGregor (as he’s been known to do from time to time), but the rumblings are that it actually isn’t McGregor who wants more money and is holding off from signing on the dotted line. McGregor’s striking coach Owen Roddy appeared on today’s The MMA Hour to proclaim that his student is still looking to fight at UFC 197 and it doesn’t matter against whom:
“All I know just from listening to Conor is that he is fighting March 5. The opponent is up in the air. It could be dos Anjos. It could be whoever. But the thing is Conor is looking to fight March 5. Realistically, everybody wants to see Conor, so the opponent is not really important. I’m sure he’ll be fighting March 5. So stay tuned.”
McGregor SBG head coach John Kavanagh then confirmed that news himself:
well @rowdyowenroddy just put it perfectly. “we’ll be there march 5th, doesnt matter who is opponent.” that’s all we can say #UFC197
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) January 11, 2016
Finally, McGregor’s manager Audie Attar echoed the same sentiment courtesy of MMA Junkie’s Steven Marrocco:
McGregor’s manager, @AudieAttar, denies report McGregor is holding up 197 announcement.
— Steven Marrocco (@MMAjunkieSteven) January 11, 2016
So it looks like the plot has thickened in the delay of the announcement of potentially one of 2016’s biggest fights. Speculation online is that dos Anjos is asking for more money, so much so that the promotion may have no other choice but to finally give Frankie Edgar, who is conveniently also managed by Abdelaziz, the next shot at the Irish superstar.
Regardless, it sounds like ‘Notorious’ will be at UFC 197 no matter who he’s fighting. Stay tuned to LowKick MMA for all of of your updates on this developing story.
