Conor McGregor "gotta get off the steroids first" for a potential BKFC throwdown, says Jeremy "Who the f*** is that guy" Stephens
Jeremy Stephens recently weighed in on a potential showdown against Conor McGregor in a bare-knuckle boxing match. While the former UFC star expressed his interest in such a bout, he laid down some conditions that McGregor must fulfill before the fight could be booked.
McGregor and Stephens go way back. Both men featured on the UFC 205 fight card in November 2016, with the Irishman booked against Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title and 'Lil Heathen' against Frankie Edgar in a featherweight contest. At the pre-fight press conference, McGregor delivered one of his all-time classic one-liners at Stephens' expense.
When a journalist asked Conor McGregor which fighter at the presser would prove to be a tough challenge for him, Jeremy Stephens suddenly intervened and claimed his name was the correct answer. To this, 'The Notorious' calmly responded with his famous "Who the f**k is that guy?" question.
Stephens left the UFC in 2022 after a 15-year tenure and signed with the PFL, where he has a 1-2 record. He's now set to face Jimmie Rivera in a bare-knuckle boxing match at BKFC 56 in Salt Lake City this weekend.
At a pre-fight press conference, Stephens was asked about potentially fighting Conor McGregor in the BKFC arena. He replied:
"He's gotta get off the blow first. He's gotta get off the steroids. He's got a long, long track ahead of him. He's got a big route from the UFC... That's a long shot away, it's not something I think about."
When Conor McGregor reflected on the viral Jeremy Stephens diss at UFC 205 pre-fight presser
After Conor McGregor hit Jeremy Stephens with his infamous "Who the f**k is that guy?" question at the UFC 205 pre-fight press conference, 'Lil Heathen' went viral among MMA fans and is still remembered for being responsible for one of the most iconic moments in UFC history.
In an interview with UFC Europe over three years after the incident, the Irishman revealed that he did know who Stephens was and that line was a natural reaction to being pressed. He said:
"Of course I knew who Jeremy was. Jeremy is a good fighter. He’s a former lightweight, down to the featherweight division, good power in his hands. But that timing was just impeccable there, and that was it. You don’t really think about these things, you just go off the cusp and just have a bit of fun in there."