Conor McGregor: ‘I Own Jose Aldo’s Town’

Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, featherweight champion Jose Aldo and top contender Conor McGregor began the first stop of their 10-day world tour promotion for their upcoming UFC 189 bout this July 11 at the famed MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both fighters minced loaded words and taunting promises of disposing one another in one of the highly anticipated pay-per-view events of the year.

If the crowd reaction prior to the stare down is any indication of the anticipation for the bout, the brief press conference was a huge success. Before the pair took the stage with UFC President Dana White, the predominantly Aldo supporting crowd was chanting in Portuguese, “Uh vai morrer,” which means “You’re going to die,” but the Irishman was not intimidated by the crowd support and even when as far as declaring Rio de Janeiro as his own town.

“I own this town. I own Rio de Janeiro,” McGregor told MMA Fighting. “I’m sitting up here with my feet on the desk. What’s anyone going to do about it? My family’s motto means … ‘royal is in my blood.’”

McGregor has made a name for himself with bold pronouncements and surprise antics. During his knockout win over Dennis Siver at Boston last January, he rushed to the front row where Aldo was watching and taunted the champion. That led to Aldo calling him a court jester, and referencing to himself as the king. During the latest press conference, Aldo was straight to the point by declaring that the “Notorious One” did not know what he was into and is in really “deep s**t in UFC 189.”

The back and forth between the two prized fighters breath of fresh air for UFC President White who called the upcoming match as “the biggest featherweight match in the UFC’s history.” He credited the Irish fighter for bursting into the mixed martial arts scene and backing up his bold words with wins over tough fighters.

Aldo, on the other hand, has been steady as a champion as any promoter would hope for. The Brazilian is one of the longest tenured title holders in the UFC after stringing up 18 consecutive wins that has placed him as number two in the world list of top pound-for-pound MMA fighters.

Watch the stare down between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor below: