LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone are a pair of legendary professional cagefighters who will attempt to knock each other's heads off come Saturday night.

On Wednesday, though, the two men set to headline UFC 246 seemed like anything but a pair of adversaries.

At the pre-fight press conference, McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC), the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, and Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC), a longtime fan favorite whose name is all over the company record book, seemed more like co-stars promoting an upcoming, odd-couple crime fighting flick or, at the very least, a future pro wrestling tag team laying the groundwork for their championship run.

Given McGregor's legendary ability to read the room, this was likely the plan – at least on his part.

The UFC's first-ever champ-champ is in need of a change in his public relations narrative. The fighter who boldly called his shots as he rocketed to the top of the combat sports world has given way over the past couple years to the sort of caricature that has befallen many before him.

For a while, each month seemed to bring a new controversy, a new legal issue, a new low. The message McGregor needs to deliver this week to a skeptical public is that this time he's here for business and ready to get back to the thing he most loves.

On that count, McGregor said everything a fighter three years removed from his last victory should have said when given the platform.

"I'm in a position now where I'm just very, very excited to be here, and I'm very eager to perform for the fans on January 18th," said McGregor, who predicted he'd knock out Cerrone. "I've got a solid opponent in front of me, a veteran of the game, and I'm just in a good spot. That's it. I don't think I've changed or altered, or, you know, I'm just committed and focused and happy to be here."

It helped that McGregor has a willing dance partner in Cerrone, a fighter allergic to B.S., someone who simply loves to go in there and throw down. The lighting at the Pearl Theater at The Palms caused his black cowboy hat to create a shadow over all of his face but his goatee, adding a mysterious aura to a fighter whose appeal is no mystery at all.

"I'm going to go in there and (expletive) give it all we got," Cerrone said in exactly the manner you'd expect from someone who's gotten his own limited-edition Budweiser cans on fight week. "Yeah, man, I am going five rounds with this dude, and I cannot (expletive) wait until Saturday."

Pure respect as @TheNotoriousMMA@Cowboycerrone face off for the first time ? #UFC246pic.twitter.com/yqM03tE3Sy

On this went as the duo repeatedly affirmed they love to fight, and they respect one another because of that commonality, and they're going to give the fans all they could possibly want if they tune in on pay-per-view.

All the chatter rang true. But it still couldn't entirely remove the shadow of McGregor's alleged misdeeds. The UFC has done its best to steer McGregor away from questions about his reported ongoing sexual assault investigations back in Ireland. The UFC funneled McGregor to the safety of promotional partner ESPN, which will directly profit off McGregor's appearance in Saturday's pay-per-view, for a couple quick questions in a Monday appearance. It became obvious Wednesday the promotion wanted that to be the end of the subject.

UFC president Dana White deflected attempts by a reporter to ask McGregor about his issues, and in doing so was aided by fans – presumably some of the same people who endlessly complain that MMA media only asks softball questions – who jeered the reporter for daring to ask. White then dismissed a follow-up question if he was worried the issues would keep McGregor from fighting with a quick "no."

That's a story which will continue to play out down the road, no matter how much some might want to wish it away. But for now, the matter of the fight itself took precedence, and the duo soon returned to their revelry as the mutual respect held the day, from the nattily attired McGregor inquiring about Cerrone's snakeskin jacket all the way up to their amicable staredown at the end.

Conor McGregor and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone face off ahead of UFC 246. (Photo: MMA Junkie)

Before they did so, though, McGregor made clear once more what his purpose is this week, telling MMA Junkie that UFC 246 is all about reminding people of the realness that propelled him to the top.

"I am as real as it gets, like the company slogan," McGregor said. "I react to the situation as it is. The situations happened a different way for some time. This situation seems to be a little bit different, so I react accordingly. There's nothing false, nothing fake. This is just me being real, and that's it."

UFC 246 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ ESPN+.

Source: Read Full Article