UFC’s Conor McGregor raises ire of WWE with conference call comments

UFC star Conor McGregor has never been afraid to ruffle a few feathers in order to generate headlines.

This time, he has everyone who has ever cheered for a man in a boa, a cape, face paint or a mask up in arms after a comment he made Friday during a conference call to promote his Aug. 20 rematch against Nate Diaz in the UFC 202 headliner at T-Mobile Arena.

Wrestling fans were outraged on social media after McGregor shot down the possibility of him ever using his starpower to cross into the world of scripted matches.

“I have thought about (the WWE),” McGregor said on the call. “For the most part, I think these guys are (expletive), to be honest. They’re messed up (expletives) if you ask me. (Credit) to Brock (Lesnar), he got in and fought. But at the end of the day, he was juiced up to the (expletive) eyeballs. How can I respect that?”

“The other guy, (CM Punk), hasn’t fought yet, so I don’t know about him yet.”

Cue the anger on Twitter and the internet clicks racking up for McGregor, one of the most saavy marketers in all of sports.

It didn’t take long for McGregor to double-down on his comments, either. In response to all the fans, and even a large number of actual wrestlers coming after him online, McGregor issued a response on his Twitter account.

“I didn’t mean no disrespect to the (WWE) fans,” McGregor posted. “What I meant to say was that I’d slap the head off your entire roster. And twice on Sundays.”

As expected, that didn’t sit well.

Of particular note was a response from pro wrestling legend Ric Flair, who levied a very specific accusation against McGregor.

“Coming from a guy who built a career copying my persona,” Flair posted. “I expected the type of class we get from Ronda (Rousey) or Anderson (Silva).”

Flair was one of many former and active wrestlers to issue a response, which ranged from angry to sarcastic and funny.

Just like that, McGregor had most of the WWE discussing him just two weeks before a fight that he’s trying to promote.

RODRIGUEZ EXTENDS STREAK

Rising UFC star Yair Rodriguez may not have finished his first main event bout in spectacular fashion as he wanted to in order to take advantage of the spotlight, but he did get some valuable lessons out of his split decision win over Alex Caceres on Saturday that should help him in his quest to be a champion.

“It was an amazing fight,” he said after the win in the main event of UFC Fight Night 92 in Salt Lake City. “This was a good test for me to see if I could push through five rounds. I feel pretty good being my first time going five rounds. I feel more calm and relaxed and now I know how to breathe.”

Rodriguez, one of the flashiest strikers in the organization, said he learned an important lesson in pace after coming right out from the opening bell and unleashing a dazzling array of strikes right from the opening bell.

“Out there sometimes I just go crazy,” he acknowledged. “This time I was thinking more and was more calm in there.

“I am very happy to be here.”

Caceres hung tough, finiding his most success in the third and fourth rounds, but in the end Rodrgiuez got the nod.

The 23-year-old featherweight has now won six straight fights, including five consecutive since winning “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America.”

The event drew 6,689 fans at Vivant Smart Home Arena for the UFC’s first stop in Utah

GUILLARD SUSPENDED

Bellator lightweight veteran Melvin Guillard has been suspended for one year and fined $10,000 after failing a drug test administered by the Kansas Athletic Commission following his July 22 fight on the Bellator 159 card.

His win over David Rickels will also be changed to a no contest.

The nature of the test failure was not revealed, but a news release from the KAC revealed the positive test was not for a performance-enhancing drug.

“The first and foremost job of the Kansas Athletic Commission is to protect the health and welfare of the fighters we are charged with regulating” KAC boxing commissioner Adam Roorbach said in the release. “Banned substances have no place in the world of combat sports, and their usage will not be allowed in the state of Kansas.”

Guillard, 33, tested positive for cocaine metabolites following a 2007 UFC fight in Las Vegas.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj