Conor McGregor Needs to Drop 27 Pounds Ahead of UFC 189

But saying that, there are many, many forms of fighting that can beat him.

In the latest UFC Embedded, McGregor enjoys a relaxing massage from a man called Dr Pain. If it weren’t for a belt, it would have been hard to explain how McGregor-Mendes got top billing over the welterweight title fight between champion Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald.

When UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo suffered a rib injury in training just days away from UFC 189, it seemed disastrous. His hands are good. However, fighters can be ranked in only one weight class at a given time, and in most cases, they won’t be ranked in a new weight class until they’ve had their first fight at that weight. And if McGregor now loses against stand-in Chad Mendes, then that fight is dead in the water.

It’s no secret that Conor McGregor is one of the larger guys in the featherweight division.

While McGregor-Mendes really is nothing more than a glorified No. 1 contender’s fight, the interim title will immeasurably boost the stature and marketability of the next bout if McGregor comes out on top.

McGregor faces Mendes on Saturday, July 11, and will need to weigh in on Friday.

“It’s insane because I actually saw the video”, White said Tuesday on ESPN Radio’s The Rusillo Show. Fight week is finally here, so is the main man McGregor, but Aldo has been replaced.

McGregor has come a long way in a very short period of time, but whether he becomes a transformative figure in the manner of Royce Gracie, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey, among a precious few others, still isn’t quite clear. Mendes has a substantial in-ring experience advantage, with almost five times the amount of Zuffa minutes as his Irish foe. Though Mendes claims he had prepared for such in case Aldo would be unable to compete due to injury, the mental game heading into Saturday could be totally different.

Almeida (18-0, 2-0 UFC), a hot prospect with 14 knockouts to his name, is a well-rounded fighter with finishing ability anywhere the contest goes. With crisp combinations, legit power and effective inside-out movement, Mendes has transformed into a bona fide standup artist, especially with the threat of an explosive double-leg always looming.

Once people have got over the loss, and McGregor is booked for another bout, will it generate as much hype?

Still, a silver lining looms if all events go the right way. This is the big question mark hanging over McGregor, because we do not know how he will handle an elite wrestler like Mendes.