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Dana White responds to Conor McGregor saying his final UFC fight ‘has to be’ against Max Holloway

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Dana White responds to Conor McGregor saying his final UFC fight ‘has to be’ against Max Holloway

Conor McGregor still has to undergo surgery for his injured leg after his comeback at UFC 329 ended in disaster but that didn't stop him from already looking forward to his next return to action.

“It has to be Holloway,†McGregor wrote.

Of course, McGregor's desire to settle that unfinished business is understandable considering the first kick he threw in the fight ended with him blowing out his knee. The fight lasted just 66 seconds and McGregor already stated that he believes the result should be changed to a no-contest.

But McGregor's wishes may not be granted because it's just impossible to predict when he'll be coming back to compete again and Holloway can't just sit around waiting forever.

“Not even thinking about it,†UFC CEO Dana White told Spinnin Backfist on Friday when asked about McGregor's request. “Conor still has to have knee surgery and go through everything he's going to have to go through. I understand he's very unhappy with the way shit played out but you're a human being, you're older, you haven't fought in five years and Father Time is undefeated.

“So who the f*ck knows what's going to happen with Max over the next year and what's going to happen with Conor over the next year?

Holloway already expressed interest in a third fight against McGregor but he obviously walked away unscathed and it's highly unlikely he'll just stay sidelined until the Irish superstar is ready to go again.

If McGregor tore his ACL, he's likely looking at anywhere from 9 to 12 months of recovery but there's still no word on exactly how much damage he sustained in that fight at UFC 329. That's why White doesn't want to make any promises until McGregor is healthy again and tells the UFC he's ready to go.

“I don't even think about that type of stuff until it becomes a reality,†White said. “When Conor reaches out and says ‘I finished all my physical therapy, I'm in a good place, they told me I can train full time now,' we'll start thinking about what's next.â€

Outside of the fight itself, White also admitted he hasn't put too much thought in the kind of promotion the UFC would use to build anticipation towards McGregor's eventual return.

McGregor's comeback at UFC 329 already produced higher viewership numbers than the UFC White House card but the disappointing way his fight ended might make some fans stay away from his next fight.

But White won't even begin to speculate what the UFC plans to do with McGregor until he's healthy and ready to fight again.

For his part, McGregor definitely plans to compete again and he's also celebrated that his next fight serves as the final bout on his current UFC contract.

“I don't know,†White said about McGregor's future. “I'm not even thinking about any of that stuff. It's so long and so far away, it doesn't matter.â€

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Morning Report | Paddy Pimblett: Movsar Evloev ‘quit’ in loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333

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Morning Report | Paddy Pimblett: Movsar Evloev ‘quit’ in loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333

Movsar Evloev, 20-0 no longer. But apparently, his UFC 333 loss to Alexander Volkanovski is deeper than that.

The top featherweight contender updated his Instagram bio following his disappointing knockout defeat at the hands of Volkanovski, but not to 20-1.

Instead, Evloev is now “0-1,” signaling a new beginning, perhaps? At 32, Evloev is not a young man in the 145-pound division, but perhaps there’s still room for him to grow and even if he can’t beat Volkanovski, can he hang around long enough for Volkanovski to exit and then step into his place as a future champion?

What do you all think of Evloev’s profile tweak?

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Aaron Pico admits he was fighting too out of control before UFC 333

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Aaron Pico admits he was fighting 'too out of control' before UFC 333
Aaron
Pico is learning to be more patient inside the Octagon.

Pico (14-5) is scheduled to face Losene
Keita (17-2) at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the
matchup, the former Bellator
fighter said he wants to gain experience rather than rush to
finish.

Aaron Pico explains new fighting mentality ahead of Losene
Keita matchup at UFC 333

Pico was knocked out in his UFC debut last year before earning his
first promotional victory against Patricio
Freire. He said he has since adopted a “beginner
mentality.â€

Pico, who has finished 11 of his 14 professional victories, has
worked with coach Roberto Barreiro to develop a more measured
approach. Instead of trying to end fights as quickly as possible,
he now wants to settle into the action.

“When I say I needed to be humbled, it’s not in the fact that I
walked or carried myself… I needed to humble myself in the way that
I was fighting,†Pico said at the UFC 333 media day. “I was
fighting just too out of control. When I would go do a fight, the
mindset was to get this thing over. I just want to go in there, do
what I have to do, get the win and go home. I've really worked with
coach Roberto Barreiro a lot in Morocco to switch the mindset a
little bit. Now I want to enjoy and cook the fight.â€

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UFC fighter explains nose-picking moment before Dana White handshake

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UFC fighter explains nose-picking moment before Dana White handshake
Mandel
Nallo says his nose-picking gesture at the ceremonial weigh-ins
for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship's recent event in Edmonton,
Alberta, was a message to his children.

Nallo stopped Nate
Landwehr at
UFC Edmonton on Oct. 17. Before the bout, however, the Canadian
lightweight drew attention by conspicuously picking his nose
onstage. He has since explained the gesture.

Mandel Nallo says his sons inspired UFC Edmonton nose-picking
gesture before Dana White’s handshake offer

Nallo said his sons suggested the gesture as a way to acknowledge
them while they watched. That created an awkward moment when UFC
CEO Dana
White extended his hand before Nallo's faceoff with Landwehr.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Nallo explained that refusing the
handshake might have looked disrespectful.

“I have two boys; they’re 5 and 7… I wanted to notify them that I
knew they were watching,†Nallo said. “So I told them, ‘What’s
something I can do so that you guys can see that I know you’re
watching?' They told me, ‘Pick your nose.' I’m a committed nose
picker. I’m not gonna half-*ss it. I’m not gonna pretend. So, I
went up there and that was for them. I’m right-handed. I’m gonna go
up there with my right hand, and then [Dana White] extends his arm
out to you. You don’t have time to explain what just happened. So I
did a finger point so that there was no contact. There was no
disrespect. It was kind of like a ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm' moment. I
got this booger in my hand, but if I go, ‘I don’t want to shake
your hand,' then I look even worse. I just had to roll with
it.â€

Nallo also said his sons don't know what he does for a living.
Although they train jiu-jitsu, he said they are unaware of how
violent MMA can be.

Nallo (15-4, 1 NC) earned his UFC contract on
Dana White's Contender Series last year but lost his
promotional debut to Jai Herbert
by technical knockout earlier this year. The 37-year-old has never
had a professional fight decided by the judges.

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