Jeremy Stephens has a sordid historical past with Conor McGregor courting again to their notorious alternate forward of UFC 205 in 2016, however they might get to settle their beef with no gloves on.
The incident that sparked the rivalry occurred throughout a pre-fight press convention after McGregor was requested in regards to the hardest combat obtainable to him of the various athletes seated on the dais. Stephens instantly piped up and promised he was the hardest problem because the hardest-hitting featherweight whose punches produced knockouts the place “folks don’t f*cking transfer.”
At all times fast on the microphone, McGregor answered again, “Who the f*ck is that man?” which was adopted by a loud roar from the New York viewers. Now nearly eight years later, Stephens is about to make his second look as a bare-knuckle fighter at BKFC 65 on Friday, and McGregor is a co-owner after making a major monetary funding within the promotion.
It’s nearly as if destiny introduced them again collectively once more.
“I received a boss now in Conor McGregor, who’s writing my checks,” Stephens instructed MMA Combating. “I might probably be preventing my very own boss! There’s lots of people on the market who need that Conor combat, but when he was ever to return over to bare-knuckle, I’m on a scorching streak, get the ball f*cking rolling. I’d like to be that f*cking man to welcome him to bare-knuckle.
“I don’t get drained. I can take a f*cking shot. I’ve been within the f*cking sport. I’d like to max out that chance and put myself into these alternatives. Day-to-day, brick by brick, it’s going to come.”
As a lot as he loved the disagreement he shared with McGregor, which ultimately escalated into some viral social media posts as nicely, Stephens really provides credit score to the previous two-division UFC champion for believing in bare-knuckle boxing.
Since he turned a co-owner in BKFC, McGregor has unfold the phrase with social media posts despatched out to his tens of millions of followers and he’s even attended dwell occasions, which all the time brings extra eyeballs due to his immeasurable affect and star energy.
Rivalry apart, Stephens is comfortable McGregor received concerned with BKFC at that degree.
“Truthfully, [I’m] grateful,” Stephens stated. “Something Conor touches turns to gold. Plenty of eyes on Conor. Conor is the kind of man that may get into bare-knuckle. I imagine it. He’s from the streets as nicely and I’m certain he’s been in some bare-knuckle [fights] earlier than getting there. He believes in it. It takes plenty of psychotic abilities. If we will join extra guys like me, him, and I believe bare-knuckle is huge, huge enterprise.”
In fact, McGregor has usually touted his curiosity in ultimately competing in a bare-knuckle combat earlier than his profession is over. Proper now, McGregor sits with two bout left on his present UFC contract and he’s nonetheless planning on an eventual showdown towards Michael Chandler when he lastly returns to motion.
Whether or not it’s now or later, Stephens would love the prospect to throw down with McGregor within the bare-knuckle ring to lastly settle their unfinished enterprise from 2016.
“Excellent story, however actually credit score to Conor and all that, but when he ever received in there with me, I’d break his f*cking neck,” Stephens stated. “I’d get a giant f*cking fats examine that may simply relieve all my nervousness that I get to go in there and plaster somebody like him. In due time.
“My performances converse for themselves. I proceed to get higher. That is what f*cking 38 seems like. I’m not on f*cking medicine. I’m not out right here breaking my bones or this and that. I’ve continued to remain wholesome. I’ve continued to place myself into place. If that ever got here, I’d break his f*cking neck and I’d put him out. Naked-knuckle could be the spot to do it.”
For his half, McGregor positively appears open to the concept after touting the upcoming BKFC 65 card on Instagram, together with a pleasant reminder about that press convention he shared with Stephens again within the day.
“In our co-main occasion additionally now we have ‘who the f*ck is that man’ going through off once more towards Bobby Taylor,” McGregor wrote. “Me and “who the f*ck” is an thrilling naked knuckle combat down the road 100%.”
