"I am humble to those who know me. I am arrogant to those who doubt me. And I am ruthless to those who fight me."

Speaking in more of a manifesto than a column for the sports section of Ireland's Independent, UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor touches on a bit of everything.

[Below are excerpts. Make sure to read his full piece here.]

Always finding a way to circle back to his critics, McGregor spends quite a bit of time addressing his legion of 'haters.'

"The haters surface," said McGegor. "I simply choose to leave the bitterness behind. As I said before I will wipe away the tears with my money.

"They pay their hard-earned money in the hope to one day seeing me face down in a pool of my own blood. I remain victorious, cash their hard-earned money and wipe my ass with it. Thank you for the purchase. Maybe next time it might happen. But next time the price is doubled."

McGregor goes on to detail his rise among the UFC's ranks and how he came to be challenging featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jul. 11 at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Each fight I hear that my biggest test has arrived, that this is the day I'm going to get found out. Each time I win, I pulverise my opponent. It will be the same on July 11. Blank face, new body. I know who I am.

"At 26 years of age I hold every record in my game. Highest gates. Highest viewing figures. And on July 11th, highest PPV numbers in the UFC. At 26 years of age, I own my game. I hold the record for the biggest Vegas gate in the UFC, a bigger gate than Floyd Mayweather drew for his comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2009."

Finally, McGregor lays out his vision of the future.

"On July 11, Jose Aldo will crumble under the energy. I will taste gold once again. The doubters will find a new excuse. They will pay double next time. The fans who are with me will rejoice. They will celebrate the good life with me so clearly that they reap all the rewards with me.

"I can do things that nobody has ever done before. I am different. I am pound for pound the best fighter on the planet. And I will prove it in two months' time when I become champion of the world for the third time. This story is only just beginning. And it is going to run and run."

5 MUST-READ STORIES

'He needs to focus.' Anderson Silva 'doesn't think' Jon Jones should return to the UFC. 'He needs to change everything in life. It's very important.'

'The first step in the right direction.' A judge in Nevada district court ruled Friday that Wanderlei Silva's discipline from the Nevada Athletic Commission -- a lifetime ban and $70,000 fine -- will be overturned, because it was 'in excess of the statutory authority of the agency.'

The answer. Frankie Edgar says Dana White 'knew I got stepped over' with Conor McGregor's title shot. 'I just blanked out Urijah -- he owes me a title shot.'

'It consumed my life.' Daniel Cormier says he was too 'emotionally attached' heading into the Jon Jones fight at UFC 182.

'He deserves it.' Khabib Nurmagomedov says Donald Cerrone deserves the next UFC lightweight title shot if he beats John Makdessi.

Watch The MMA Hour with Frankie Edgar, Travis Browne, Stipe Miocic, Mike Swick, Sam Alvey, Mike Miller, Henri Hooft, Jessica Aguilar and Sean O'Connell.

MEDIA STEW

Donald Cerrone talks fear.

Cerrone hitting the pads right after a media luncheon.

Wanderlei Silva celebrates.

Ronda Rousey says she won't be fighting Floyd Mayweather unless they start dating. (via BR)

These promos could make anything exciting.

TTTHS.

Long watches.

Knuckle Up #365: UFC Fight-Day- Night Manila, the Sino-Steroid Surge

...

"35 Min of UFC WSOF Yushin Okami vs Dan The Wolfman." Basically, 35 mins of Okami MMA sparring. Great soundtrack.

...

TWEETS

Beef.

Ronda Rousey keep Trash talking ... When Ronda first started using my name in interviews to build hers during... http://t.co/duYE8HnVt2 — Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) May 19, 2015

Extension.

Just negotiated my new contract. It's good to be at the top... @torque1net @ufc https://t.co/ZF7owBgkcb — chad mendes (@chadmendes) May 18, 2015

Soon.

Feeling so good out here in Vegas right now! Can't wait for this weekend! Gonna be so much fun! This is what I love to do. — Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) May 18, 2015

Cool.

Well this is a first! @Cowboycerrone ends his media luncheon and invites everyone down to gym to watch him workout! pic.twitter.com/oOlP7cAW7X — Dave Sholler (@Sholler_UFC) May 18, 2015

Sometimes you just have to tap, it's our champion @fatjoe 's strong choke hold ;-) ALLways great to see my brother pic.twitter.com/xU4yF547Vq — Renzo_Gracie_BJJ (@RenzoGracieBJJ) May 18, 2015

Congrats.

Thanks to Bellator for signing me to the biggest deal of my MMA career. $$ https://t.co/Wkb27GEp89 — Melvin Guillard (@Young__Assassin) May 19, 2015

Hey all, PLEASE WELCOME @wingstop TO THE FOLD! Honored they wanted to pair up & look forward to all of us repping them hard! Get you some!!! — Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) May 18, 2015

My fight shorts went for $5,000.00 for a charity that is close to my heart. Thanks for the support and spreading the word. — Pat Miletich (@patmiletich) May 17, 2015

Nice.

Facts: Luke Skywalker made having one hand cool, then I brought it back & now its all the rage #NewellWorldOrder pic.twitter.com/HnrA3DbquV — Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) May 18, 2015

OK.

I have news but Saying fuck all to you — Neil 2 Tap Seery (@NeilSeeryMMA) May 18, 2015

Yep.

I really nailed my happy face for my new drivers license. https://t.co/Y7zAORRoVg — Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) May 18, 2015

I really nailed my happy face for my new drivers license. A photo posted by Joe Lauzon (@joelauzon) on May 18, 2015 at 11:20am PDT





FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (May 18 2015)

Bubba Jenkins vs. Joe Wilk at Bellator 139

Leandro Mafra vs. Stevie Ray at UFC Fight Night: Scotland

Hisaki Kato vs. Joe Schilling at Bellator 139

Ilir Latifi vs. Hans Stringer at UFC Fight Night: Scotland

Paul Redmond vs. Robert Whiteford at UFC Fight Night: Scotland

Leon Edwards vs. Pawel Pawlak at UFC Fight Night: Scotland

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via jaywolf1.

Russian 1st Round finishing machine & 2014 KOTY, Timofey Nastyukhin, returns vs. Top Aussie slugger "Ruthless" Rob Lisita at ONE Championship: Warrior's Quest FRIDAY!

Hello again MMA Fans! Man am I excited to tell you about this ONE Championship: Warrior's Quest matchup! It has one of my personal favorite prospects in the entire world on it! Featured on a card absolutely chalked full of elite up & coming talent! SO PUMPED for this Card of the Year Candidate! Timofey Nastyukhin (8-1 MMA, 1-0 ONE) is a sensational 25 year old Russian MMA prospect on an 8 Fight FIRST Round Finishing STREAK culminating in 2014's KTFO of the Year! ...

Check out the rest of the post here.

Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.