Win or lose, Conor McGregor has James Gallagher’s back.
McGregor, the former two-division UFC champion, offered Gallagher (11-2 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) some words of encouragement moments after his defeat Friday at Bellator 270 in Dublin. Gallagher was submitted by Patchy Mix in the third round of their the co-main event clash. It was an evenly contested bout all the way to the finish.
After fight was over, McGregor immediately got on Twitter Voice to congratulate Gallagher on his performance and to tell him not to put too much stock in the result.
“Jimmy boy, that was some f*cking show, mate,” McGregor said. “What a crowd. That was like me and Brandao that crowd. That kid is only 23, 24 years of age, and he’s selling out a stadium like that. Guillotine and what? Fresh as a daisy.
“Let that right hook go. Bomb that right hook, f*ck that right kick, f*ck that right kick. Dig down on his body kick, take his ribs … and bang that right hook. ‘Oh, he got caught with a guilly.’ So what? Who gives a f*ck? Not a scratch on that kid. Not a scratch.
“You need that experience. That experience is worth more than any amount of money you’re going to make in your entire career. And trust me, bro, don’t let that crowd reaction … I’m looking at, ‘Free from desire. Free from desire.’ What a show. What a f*cking show. You’re an animal, bro. You need that experience, you need to jump for that guilly, you have your head pop out, you need to be against the fence. You need that experience. You’re only a bambino. You’re a bambino on the way. … Yup, the ‘Strabanimal’!”
McGregor, 33, and Gallagher, 25, were long-time teammates who trained at SBG Ireland. Gallagher recently moved to the U.S. where he’s now training under James Kraus at Glory MMA & Fitness.
The loss to Mix marks Gallagher’s second professional defeat. He was on a four-fight wining streak prior to the defeat.
Conor McGregor encourages James Gallagher after Bellator 270 loss: ‘You need that experience’