UFC Fight Night 59 Results: Conor McGregor Starches Dennis Siver
 

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Conor McGregor


BOSTON – Conor McGregor kept Dennis Siver on the end of his punches and kicks, stopping the Russian fighter as widely expected, and then leapt over the UFC’s octagon to confront his next opponent, featherweight champ Jose Aldo.

McGregor (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC), a massive favorite heading into the fight, did not fulfill a promise to stop Siver (22-10 MMA, 11-7 UFC) inside one round, but he dominated nonetheless and cinched a fight with Brazilian kingpin Aldo, who smiled wide at the screaming Irishman.

“I said two minutes – I meant two rounds,” said McGregor. “I felt comfortable throughout. I don’t think Dennis posed a threat.”

The featherweight bout took place at today’s UFC Fight Night 59 event at Boston’s TD Garden. It served as the evening’s main event and aired on FOX Sports 1.

McGregor, ranked No. 7 in USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie’s MMA featherweight rankings, certainly wouldn’t hear any praise from Aldo, who was supposed to face off with him inside the octagon, but instead wound up being interviewed by UFC commentator Joe Rogan outside the cage.

“I don’t know – f-ck him,” said McGregor when asked what he said to Aldo. “I’m going to hand him my spit bucket, tell him to spit-shine that belt, and bring it back here for me to take it.”

The champ, unsurprisingly, said he wasn’t impressed by McGregor, who’s repeatedly dogged him over the past year in pursuit of a title fight.

“He called the fight in two minutes; it actually took over a round,” Aldo said. “Dennis Siver is a seasoned fighter, but not the caliber of fighter I’ve fought before, so I’m not really impressed.”

The crowd, on the other hand, celebrated McGregor as a star of the highest caliber, many of them waving Irish flags and screaming with delight as he battered Siver with a steady diet of straight lefts, high kicks, and leaping knees that kept the veteran on his heels.

Siver snuck in a sneaky right hand on a few occasions as McGregor looked for a highlight reel finish. But by the end of the first round, he had retreated to the cage and took more punishment. His face was swelling rapidly.

A series of straight lefts in the second led to one that finally sent Siver to the canvas, where McGregor advanced to mount and threw elbows until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight.

McGregor, who was as high as a 10-to-1 favorite heading into Sunday’s headliner, picks up his fifth straight UFC victory, while Siver goes back to the loss column after a decision over Charles Rosa this past October that marked his first bout since a positive steroid test overturned a win over Manny Gamburyan.

McGregor wants to face Aldo in a stadium in his native Ireland; Aldo wants the bout in his native Brazil. The two, however, are likely to meet in Las Vegas, where the UFC will look to capitalize on the enmity between them – or at least from McGregor.

While Aldo recognizes the Irish contender as a big-money fight, he doesn’t take the talk seriously.

“He’s just a joke and a court jester to me, so all I do is laugh at him,” Aldo said. “I think (us fighting is great for the UFC; I think it’s great for the weight class. I definitely think it’s the biggest fight class we ever will see, and I cannot wait to fight him.”

UFC Fight Night 59 Results:

Conor McGregor def. Dennis Siver via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 1:54

Donald Cerrone def. Benson Henderson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Uriah Hall def. Ron Stallings via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 3:37

Gleison Tibau def. Norman Parke via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Cathal Pendred def. Sean Spencer via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Lorenz Larkin def. John Howard via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:17

Chris Wade def. Zhang Lipeng via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Patrick Holohan def. Shane Howell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Johnny Case def. Frankie Perez via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:54

Charles Rosa def. Sean Soriano via submission (D’arce choke) – Round 3, 4:43

Sean O’Connell def. Matt Van Buren via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:11

Joby Sanchez def. Tateki Matsuda via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)