In a new interview, Conor McGregor has opened up about the difficult period he went through after watching the fight which lead to the death of Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho.
The tragic incident, which sparked calls for closer regulation of the sport in Ireland, also had a profound effect on UFC star Conor McGregor, whose SBG team-mate was involved on the night.
In an interview with Men's Health, the Irishman admitted that the death of Carvalho had been a huge event in his life, and one that had shocked him deeply. McGregor was clear in his reponse that he is aware of the dangers of fighting, noting that it shouldn't be referred to as a sport at all.
"How do I feel? How would you feel?," asked McGregor. "It's f**ked up. I wasn't just watching that fight. I helped train a guy to kill someone, and then someone wound up dying.
"This is a f**king dangerous game. People call it a sport, but it's fighting. I'm just making sure it ain't me. And that's f**ked up. Damn...I still can't believe that kid is dead."
This is not the only time that McGregor has had to face difficulties with the fight game, and previously thought about calling it a day a few years ago, shortly before his UFC debut.
In an interview with the erstwhile Setanta Sports, McGregor noted that when he learned of the injuries sustained by teammate, he had considered calling it a day.
"A longtime teammate of mine had got some bad news from too many wars inside the Octagon,” said McGregor.
"So, you know, I sat back, and the UFC had not called at this stage where I had two gold belts wrapped around my waist, and I was thinking, ‘I don’t think I want to do this. Maybe, maybe this is not for me.' This happened to my friend, who came up with me in the game and now he cannot compete anymore."
McGregor will return to the Octagon against Nate Diaz on August 20th at UFC 202, and also spoke about his preparations, stating that he believes he has made some changes that will help him to be better prepared for the bouth.
"People are so caught in a routine, doing the same things over and over," said McGregor. "I want to be an expert in different fighting styles, new training methods, new ways of thinking."
The UFC have also been putting the hype machine to work ahead of the bout, setting the scene for a massive rematch with an extended preview.
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