Conor McGregor has changed the game.
‘The Notorious’ has cultivated the perfect combination of skill, promotional nous and superiority when it comes to psychological warfare to become the biggest superstar in UFC history.
And his success, when it comes to both title pictures and bank balances, is understandably providing a framework for his fellow fighters to follow.
No competitor in UFC history has “got it” more than the Irishman and fighters across all weight classes are finding inspiration from McGregor’s methods.
The latest to admit to being motivated by McGregor is Ovince Saint Preux, the UFC light heavyweight who is in dire need of a victory after suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time in the Octagon.
Saint Preux was brutally knocked out by Jimi Manuwa at UFC 204 last October and has revealed that he’s using McGregor’s ability to master the mental game as a template for his own psychological preparation ahead of his comeback.
“One of the guys that actually does it the best is Conor. It’s Conor,” Saint Preux explained to MMA Junkie. “You see a lot of guys come in (against him) and they’re beat before they even get in there. But he’s also the type of guy, he knows how to prepare himself mentally. When he does that, you can tell – you see him when he’s training, he’s meditating, or how he’s taking everything in, or how he’s breathing that mentally challenge you.
“You want to be confident within yourself, but you have to be a little cocky, you have to be a little arrogant, you have to be a little conceited because if you’re not, you don’t have the qualities of being confident. I try to be humble at times, and it’s good because I’m more reserved. But I’ve found out I’m better if I have that swag effect, and in order to have that, the cockiness comes out.”
The biggest fight of Saint Preux’s career came against 205lbs great Jon Jones for the interim light heavyweight title at UFC 197, when ‘Bones’ took a unanimous decision victory.
And as he looks to get his career back on track, Saint Preux will meet UFC newcomer and short-notice replacement Volkan Oezdemir this weekend and the sixth-ranked light heavyweight has a warning for his upcoming opponent ahead of UFC Fight Night 104.
“He’s never fought Ovince Saint Preux before,” he said. “I don’t care who you are, regardless if I get beat, if you fight Ovince Saint Preux, you’re going to remember me. He took the fight at the last minute, and I’ve been getting in shape getting ready for this fight. I feel sharp in every way possible. We’ll see how it goes, but I think it’s going to be a pretty good fight.”
