Friday 28 August 2015 10:34, UK
Conor McGregor wanted to fight Urijah Faber before his scheduled grudge match against Jose Aldo.
The Irishman, the interim featherweight champion, will be matched against Aldo, the long-serving title holder, on December 12 at UFC 194 in Las Vegas to unify their belts in a fight that fell apart when it was first booked.
Before they finally lock horns, McGregor has been coaching the UFC's elimination-based tournament The Ultimate Fighter opposite Urijah Faber but, unlike most instalments of the event, the coaches will not fight afterwards.
McGregor wishes he could get his hands on Faber, the veteran multi-championship challenger, on the upcoming event in his hometown before Aldo.
"Really, it would be nice to have a fight at the end of it," McGregor told UFC.com.
I could go in and make light work of Urijah, I could maul him inside one round and be fresh. And then we could do the Jose fight towards the end of the year.
"We could easily fit a fight in on the Dublin card in October. I could go in and make light work of Urijah, I could maul him inside one round and be fresh.
"And then we could do the Jose fight towards the end of the year."
Having defeated short-notice replacement Chad Mendes for the interim championship in July when Aldo pulled out injured, McGregor has jumped straight into coaching The Ultimate Fighter.
He admits the opportunity to train a team of aspiring athletes didn't motivate him until he realised their journeys mirrored his own.
"I didn't want to do it," he said. "It did not mean anything to me.
"But the more I think about it and seeing the fights to get into the house, and just being around it, this is the life I have chosen. This is the life I have created.
"To be here and have this opportunity is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Rather than be off with it and feel like I need to get away from it, I am embracing it now."
