Coach opens up about Camp Conor McGregor before UFC 189 By Elias Cepeda, Foxsports.com
Featherweight title challenger Conor McGregor has convened his team of coaches, teammates and training partners in Las Vegas -- the site of his UFC 189 interim championship bout against Chad Mendes July 11 -- and the European crew has been hard at work. McGregor's striking coach Owen Roddy spent a month in Las Vegas and recently gave some insight into Camp McGregor and their perspective on the short-notice fight with Mendes.
As far as Roddy is concerned, Mendes is a dangerous and powerful opponent, but will suffer against McGregor for lack of size and creativity. "Mendes has a powerful overhand right, and that's really it," he told Tom Rooney.
"For me, I just don't think he's going to be able to get close to Conor. Not only does Conor have very long arms, but he fights at range, where he bounces in and out, so I think Mendes will have a hard time closing the distance."
Roddy doesn't believe that anyone can stand up to the power strikes of his fighter, including Mendes. Eventually, he said, Mendes will get caught, and that will spell disaster.
