Conor McGregor says Ronda Rousey lost UFC belt to Holly Holm because she was 'too emotionally invested'

McGregor says Rousey lost her UFC 193 title fight before the bout had even started because of issues outside the Octagon

(Getty Images)

UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor believes Ronda Rousey lost to Holly Holm because she was “too emotionally invested” in the UFC 193 showdown.

Irishman McGregor faces Brazil’s Jose Aldo at UFC 194 next weekend in a bid to win the UFC featherweight championship for the first time in his career, with attention around the fight already building it up to be one of the biggest fights in the history of the company.

However, McGregor was asked for his opinion on the previous main event which saw Rousey defeated for the first time in her MMA career in Melbourne last month, and he explained that – in his opinion – a number of factors outside of the Octagon contributed to her downfall inside it.

Speaking at a media event on Wednesday, 27-year-old McGregor said: “I know there was problems.

“I don’t know her situation. From looking from where I was at, I could see that maybe she’s doing a little too much on the media side. That coupled with personal life that I don’t know about, maybe could’ve hampered her training a little bit. Maybe could have hampered her mind. And then the particular style of opponent in Holly. It all kind of combined into making her a little bit too emotionally invested.”

Conor McGregor is the interim UFC featherweight champion (Getty Images)

Rousey’s preparations for the fight Down Under appeared to be hampered by an argument between her mother and her coach, while reports surrounding a relationship with another UFC fighter who had previously been accused of domestic violence also dominated the headlines leading up the 15 November clash.

The loss was Rousey’s first knockout defeat in the UFC, and McGregor added that he weight on her shoulders outside the Octagon showed through her inept tactics against Holm, who showed her dominant boxing skills to rock Rousey before delivering a brutal roundhouse kick to end the fight.

“The first thing I watch is the technical aspect of the contest,” McGregor said. “I watch Holly put on a good performance. She struck, she evaded. I watched Ronda fight a little bit emotionally invested. I’m sure she had many, many things going on. She’s one of the hardest working fighters in the game, media wise and work wise. She had a lot on her plate and it showed in the contest.”

Rousey is rocked as Holm delivers a knockout kick to win the UFC bantamweight title (Getty Images)

Asked what Rousey could learn from the fight for a possible rematch – which on Thursday UFC president Dana White confirmed “will happen” once Rousey has returned to action – McGregor explained that she needs to learn mentally more than physically in order to regain the UFC bantamweight championship.

“It’s important just to still the mind,” he said. “Calm it. Make everything smaller than it is. That’s maybe what I would take from it.”

McGregor fights Aldo on Saturday 12 December at UFC 194. Follow the action live with The Independent.