UFC champions Conor McGregor and Rafael dos Anjos collide before title fight
By James Dielhenn
Last Updated: 21/01/16 11:01am
Conor McGregor has vowed to knock out Rafael dos Anjos to win his second UFC championship before turning his attentions to a hat-trick of titles.
The featherweight champion from Ireland will step up to 155lbs to challenge for Dos Anjos' lightweight belt on March 5, aiming to become the first man to hold simultaneous UFC championships.
At a Las Vegas press conference on Wednesday, for which McGregor arrived fashionably late claiming "I operate on my own time", he compared his upcoming opponent to previous victim Jose Aldo.
I will drag [Rafael's] head through the streets of Rio de Janeiro through a parade of people.
Conor McGregor
"I believe I will dust Rafael inside one minute. He is a slower and sloppier version of Aldo," McGregor said. "His shot selection is poor. He has a tenseness in his body when he loads.
"[He has] tasted that darkness of being KO'd stiff and you will taste it again.
"I will drag [Rafael's] head through the streets of Rio de Janeiro through a parade of people. It will become a national holiday.
"I [also] like the sound of that 170lbs title. I feel I can take down those three gold belts and I feel like I can do it by the year's end."
The Irishman, who knocked out Aldo within 13 seconds last month to claim the 145lbs title, criticised Dos Anjos for uprooting from his homeland in Brazil to forge a career in the United States.
The lightweight champion is McGregor's second consecutive Brazilian opponent but the Irishman stressed the importance of keeping faith with your roots.
"I'll send [Rafael] back to California, his home" he said. "I fought Aldo, the country of Brazil's true champion. He never came to America, he trusted in his people, unlike this guy. That's why when Aldo steps off a plane, his country greets him regardless of result.
"We're sending Rafael on a media run throughout Brazil and we've got to book him a hotel in his home country. He ran from the country of Brazil, he doesn't trust his own."
As McGregor and Dos Anjos engaged in a traditional face-off at the press conference's conclusion, it became clear that there was no size disparity, despite the Irishman stepping into a heavier weight division.
Earlier, he had been keen to remind Dos Anjos who the heavier man would be when they lock horns.
"He's 5'8" with a 70-inch reach, I'm 5'9" with a 74-inch reach - I am the bigger man. I am going to bully this man in his own division," McGregor said.
"Just looking at him, he's aged 25 years in the last two weeks.
"I will go through every, single one of them. I'll wipe out the entire roster in four months."
