UFC welterweight contender Ben Askren has noted that the power dynamic between Conor McGregor and Jeremy Stephens was way too big when the Dubliner silenced the American at a UFC 205 pre-fight press conference in 2016.
McGregor was asked at the press conference who would give him the hardest fight out of anyone on the UFC 205 card and Stephens quickly interrupted and proclaimed that he was the hardest hitting fighter in the featherweight division.
McGregor repeatedly paused before turning to Stephens and asking ‘who the f**k is that guy?’ to a huge response from the audience at Madison Square Garden.
Askren noted that the phrase has become increasingly popular and has been adopted by teenagers all over America.
“The power dynamic between Jeremy Stephens and Conor McGregor… it was just too much,” Askren told ESPN.
“Jeremy had no chance. You got to give it to Conor here because I hear kids in my wrestling academy saying that freaking line 50 times a week. It’s almost annoying. You go on Instagram and it’s everywhere. From this one clip he made general vernacular of teenagers in America. It’s insane.”
Chael Sonnen continued:
“There’s something about not knowing that guy’s name. ‘Hey what do you think about fighting so and so….. I don’t even know who that is’.
“The condescension is dumb, it’s silly, it’s playground and it works. This is essentially what Conor did. He repackaged the ‘who is this guy?’.
“He called John, Jack. It just works.”
Askren will fight UFC veteran Robbie Lawler on the main card of UFC 235.
