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23rd Dec 2015

VIDEO: Referee Big John McCarthy’s reflection of UFC 194 is absolutely fascinating

Big John was impressed with McGregor

Ben Kiely

The man who refereed the shortest featherweight title fight in UFC history has an interesting take on the event.

Speaking on his podcast, Let’s Get It On, legendary MMA referee Big John McCarthy spoke about what he picked up from both Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo prior to their 13-second fight at UFC 194.

McCarthy explained that there was noticeable difference in how both fighters’ attitudes before going to war.

“The one thing that I felt when I went into Jose Aldo’s dressing room, he was getting his hands wrapped by Andre Pederneiras… and Jose was relaxed, he was listening, nothing real special in his room.”

“But, when I went into Conor’s, he was actually helping Gunnar Nelson get ready for his fight, warming him up, and when I started talking to him Conor stood there and looked at me and answered everything that I would talk about, ‘yes, sir’ just absolutely 100% confident.”

“If you’re going to look and say ‘who wanted to be there more?’ it actually seemed like Conor was happy to be there, where Jose it seemed like it was just another day.”

McCarthy added that one of the most idiotic complaints he’s heard since the fight is that it was a fix, a claim he branded as ridiculous.