Conor McGregor reveals Jose Aldo can pull out less than 24 hours before UFC 189 title bout

'I'll whip both of them on the same night if need be.'

Conor McGregor has shone some light on the background scrambling involved in the UFC following the rub injury sustained by featherweight champion Jose Aldo less than three weeks before their bout in Las Vegas. McGregor revealed that Aldo, who injured his ribs in a training skirmish, will be able to pull out of their fight up until the last moment. He also spoke about the UFC's [since shelved] plans to pair him off against a 155lbs fighter and confirmed that if he has to fight Chad Mendes, as a late replacement for Aldo, it will be for an interim belt. 'I know I will be there on July 10 for the weigh-in and I will leave on July 11 with gold around my waist,' he declared. https://youtu.be/389wKZyWPcI The Irish fighter [5-0 in the promotion] spoke with John Anik during the Romero-Yachida Fight Night event, last night. He commented:

'[Aldo should] just toughen up and show up. Many people have stepped inside the Octagon with little, itty bitty bruises. We all have knocks and bruises. Dust it off and step up. Step up and fight like a man. Fight like the championship you should be. 'There's a lot on the line. A lot of money, a lot of pride. There should be no reason to pull out of this contest. But if he does, that's on him and I cannot force another individual to step in there. If I ask myself truly, would I like to step in there and face me, I'd probably go running, too. If it's little mini Mendes, we'll smoke him, too.'

In the earlier media scrum, in Vegas, McGregor also outlined his plans to buy a house in Dublin after UFC 189. He stated, too, that there was a real possibility of getting a second pad in Las Vegas and working out of there for large segments of the year. https://youtu.be/uFt_Q3611WE