UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor speaks during a news conference for UFC 205. Photo / AP
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor speaks during a news conference for UFC 205. Photo / AP
Conor McGregor was spitting fire during his UFC 205 press conference, but - even at the peak of his powers - the UFC's greatest showman was upstaged as he held court in New York.
The 28-year-old was at his provocative best during the official pre-fight press conference for the UFC's first event to be held in New York.
The Irish fighter is headlining the event at Madison Square Garden, hoping to become the first fighter in the promotion's history to hold world title belts in two different weight divisions when he fights UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez on November 12.
It was supposed to be all about him - like it always is.
And it was, until UFC boss Dana White called for one final question from the assembled reporters at the chaotic media event.
According to reports an American fan of McGregor's infiltrated the media section of the crowd and somehow got himself into a position to ask a question of the UFC 205 fighters.
Dressed in business-casual attire with a shirt and tie, the fan grabbed the microphone and took his chance to insult Alvarez in front of a live worldwide audience.
"This question is for Eddie Avarez," the fan began his question.
"You've been mentioning that Conor McGregor is not a championship fighter. (That) He only has 2-3 rounds. In your professional career you've only gone to the fifth round twice and lost one of them. What the f*** are you talking about motherf***er?"
When the heavily pro-McGregor crowd began cheering and heckling Alvarez, McGregor egged them on by laughing at his opponent.
In what was obviously a huge moment for the fan, McGregor praised the crazy antics and thanked him for his support.
Everything was going perfectly to plan for the fanatical McGregor supporter until his voice gave away on him the moment Alvarez demanded the fan clarify his question.
The fan then had a very noticeable voice-box problem normally experienced during teenage years - once again in front of a live, worldwide audience.
You can watch the fan's rise and fall in the video below.
"My question was clearly, you've only been to the fifth round twice in your professional career and lost one of them," the fan repeated before McGregor interrupted.
"His question is why are you talking s***? That's his question," McGregor said.
"Why the f*** are you talking s*** up here? Say it like it is. You are blessed. You're blessed that I chose you. You're blessed that I chose to whoop your arse next. Say it like it f***ing is."
Alvarez was not the only fighter to fall victim to McGregor and his legion of fans.
McGregor didn't need his huge supporter base in New York to rip featherweight contender Jeremy Stephens into very small pieces.
When Stephens attempted to half-heartedly call McGregor out during the press conference he quickly realised he had brought a knife to a gunfight with the UFC's greatest trash talker.
It all started when McGregor was asked about the group of fighters he was sharing the stage with and what kind of challenge any of them presented to him.
Before McGregor could chime in with an answer Stephens decided to interrupt and give the current featherweight champion a piece of his mind.
"Right here - the hardest-hitting 145-pounder, the real hardest-hitting 145'er right here," Stephens said.
"This guy TKOs people. When I knock people out, they don't (expletive) move."
Stephens might just be the nastiest knockout puncher in the featherweight division, but he wasn't throwing hands with McGregor on Tuesday.
McGregor paused for a moment as he looked behind him on the dais where Stephens was sitting and then he unloaded with both barrels much to the approval of the raucous New York crowd filling Madison Square Garden.
"Who the f*** is that guy?" McGregor shouted.
"Who the f*** is that?"
It was a valiant effort on Stephens' part to offer up opposition to McGregor, but it didn't end well for the UFC veteran.
The press conference certainly served its designed purpose of building excitement around the UFC's first New York event and extending McGregor's celebrity status in the United States.
