• UFC Sweden

Conor McGregor: I'll shock world & steal Sweden show

Dana White better be watching when Conor McGregor makes his UFC debut in Stockholm © Getty Images

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Conor McGregor, one of the most exciting talents to have joined the UFC in recent years, has vowed to "shock the world" when he makes his debut at UFC Sweden, and promised to put himself "in contention" for a place in Dana White's top-10 favourite fighters.

McGregor talks and fights with a self-assurance that dates back almost half a decade. He promised back in 2009 that he would fight in the UFC one day, and on April 6 that prediction will come true when he meets Marcus Brimage in the featherweight division.

Thrilling on his feet and dangerous on the ground, McGregor has got the entire Irish MMA community buzzing, but having made good on his 2009 prediction, he is now determined to become a UFC champion - with a style president White will love.

"I know what I can do, my team knows what I can do, and I know I'm going to go out there and steal the show. There's no doubt about it, I'm stealing the show on April 6 in Sweden," McGregor told ESPN.

"I've visualised winning the belt - 100 per cent. The belt is on me right now. I visualised getting here and now I am here. That makes me realise the power of visualisation, the power of believing in your own ability. Now I'm thinking this is only the beginning. I'm setting myself for the ultimate goal.

"The sky is the limit. I'm going to shock the world. It's going to be a night to remember for me, for my family, for fans of Irish combat."

McGregor speaks with a confidence reminiscent of bantamweight sensation Michael McDonald, who recently fought for the title at the age of 22. It's clear the former dual-weight Cage Warriors champion is a student of mixed martial arts, and he intends to make president White one of his fans.

"I'll be in contention [for White's top-10 favourite fighters]. I'll be in contention!" he promised. "I've got something that people want to watch.

"Nobody puts as much time into training as I do. I finish training, and then I write in a book every situation, every solution, everything that happened in that session. Then I go back to training, do the same thing and rectify it.

"I'm ready for any opponent. Any movement, I want to be prepared for it. I'm not worried about what my opponent is doing. I'm looking at the bigger picture; I take notes on how certain body types move, on different styles, anything that helps me prepare for the ultimate goal."

And McGregor is even ready to offer his services at both lightweight and welterweight, revealing: "I'll let the UFC know after this fight [about changing weights]. I can make weight no problem, but I can also go to lightweight no problem. If there's drop-outs, I stay ready, I don't stop, there's no Paddy's Day, no Christmas Day, no Sunday.

"I'll even take welterweights, no problem."

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