Conor McGregor wants to fight in Dublin in 2016, even if it isn’t on the Croke Park event everyone’s been hoping for.
The Notorious has laid his plans after his historic lightweight title fight against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196 and he’s eyeing up a return to Ireland.
McGregor hasn’t fought in Dublin since he headlined that magical card in 2014 and it seems as though he has grown weary of constantly fighting in Sin City. The fight against RDA will be his third fight in a row to be held in Las Vegas and the Notorious is hoping for a change of scenery soon, as he explained to Severe MMA.
“Fuck Vegas. Fuck Vegas serious. I want East Coast next. If they don’t give me Ireland, give me East Coast next. I’ll go back to Boston, I know they’re lobbying for New York, we had a great time when we went to Boston and the East coast, it’s not as far, it’s a five hour flight.”
With Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones having extended periods away from the sport, McGregor has filled that huge superstar void to become the posterboy of not just the UFC, but the entire sport of MMA. Such heightened fame means that there are few venues in Ireland that are big enough to stage a UFC event with McGregor as the headliner.
Many feel that Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium would be ideal, but there are the obvious difficulties that go with trying to hold an indoor sport in an outdoor venue, particularly with the famed “changeable Irish weather”. However, McGregor feels that a return to the 3Arena could definitely be on the cards.
“I’ll go back to the 02 no problem or the 3Arena or the Point. I’ll go back there and fight, I don’t care if it’s nine or ten thousand (capacity). I haven’t outgrown that. I haven’t outgrown my home fucking town. I’m still fucking here. I show up here every fucking day. I’m still me.”
McGregor admitted that as much as he’s grown weary of Vegas, it is the likely location of his next fight. He explained that he has already committed to fighting at the massive UFC 200 event, which might just well be his welterweight debut.
“Vegas this one, Vegas next one probably because I committed to UFC 200, I did commit to that, then East coast or Dublin.”
After a couple of more shows stateside, McGregor confirmed that he will be pushing to make his fighting return to Ireland.
“I got my teammates on way back, we got some teammates on recently, Artem and that, let’s get the next generation on. It’s my fucking pleasure to keep bringing my people in with me here. Couple of more West coast then East coast, then Dublin. That’s it, then it’s Dublin all the fucking way, that’s what I’m thinking.”
