Michael Chiesa Has Just Torn Conor McGregor Apart in an Interview About the Infamous UFC 223 Bus Attack…
Believe it or not, Conor McGregor isn’t the most popular fighter amongst his fellow athletes. That’s what happens when you call everybody ‘bums’. Of course, throwing a dolly through a bus window, injuring two fighters and leaving one with psychological trauma isn’t going to help your case.
McGregor’s fellow lightweight Michael Chiesa has just put the Irishman on full blast, in an interview with MMA Fighting. Chiesa last fought over a year ago, when he headlined against Kevin Lee in Oklahoma City. He lost by rear-naked choke in round one.
He was expected to fight Anthony Pettis on April 7, at UFC 223 in Brooklyn, but McGregor’s dolly throwing antics put paid to that. Instead, he had a nice trip to the hospital after suffering lacerations to his face, forcing him to withdraw from the card on doctor’s orders. Now he believes McGregor’s attack cost him a title shot.
Furious
Chiesa insists that had he been fit to fight, he would have been the last minute replacement for Max Holloway (a last minute replacement for Tony Ferguson). He explained:
“I don’t really got a lot to say to the guy. I lost a title shot. I have proof. I was the highest-ranked guy on the card. I would have stepped in to fight Khabib at the drop of a dime. I’ve always loved the fight with Khabib. Bless his heart, he’s a cool ass guy. But this is a sport and I’ve always liked the way I matched up against him and I got f**ked out of that opportunity.
To lose the opportunity, that’s tough. You know how this sport works, guys. Opportunities like that don’t come along. I could strike along 15 wins in a row and still not get a title shot and I lost my opportunity and my dream. I hope that I’m gonna fight my ass off to earn it back starting on July 7 against Anthony Pettis. But yeah, tough pill to swallow.”
Really?
This actually isn’t as clear-cut as people might think. Sure Chiesa was the highest ranked lightweight left on the card, but it’s difficult to know if the UFC would have been willing to give him a title shot if he had been fit. Anthony Pettis was their first choice to replace Holloway. Also coming off a defeat, Pettis at least had the pedigree of being a former champion.
Meanwhile, eventual title contender Al Iaquinta, ranked 11 in comparison to Chiesa’s 9, was coming off the back of 5 straight wins. Perhaps he was more deserving? It’s an interesting theory, but arguably Chiesa being fit would actually have complicated matters.
No Apology
Rose Namajunas spoke about the attack in an interview this week and discussed how she had been seeking counseling after it. She said that McGregor hadn’t apologized properly to her. When asked the same question, Chiesa replied:
“No, I haven’t heard from him. So, f**k him.”
Boom. He was also asked about whether he would be pursuing a lawsuit. The answer? No comment.
