by ÅINE LEECH
The luck of the Irish appeared to be with more than just Conor McGregor in Las Vegas last week, with one local man managing to sneak his way into the media room at McGregor’s post-fight press conference.
As thousands of spectators left the arena after McGregor claimed the winning title, Mullingar man, Ken Delaney saw his chance to meet ‘The Notorious’ UFC star. “As soon as the fight was over, I saw a corridor leading towards a media room, so I hung around for a bit and walked behind a big media crew,” he said.
Ken admitted his surprise at getting in via his quick wit and charm alone, as security was tight, considering the sheer size of the event.
“Security was very tight,” he revealed. However security didn’t deter Ken’s ambitions whatsoever, as he claimed he was working for his local Westmeath newspaper and needed to speak to McGregor.
He spotted a media crew going in and quickly came up with an excuse. “I just pointed at the crew and said ‘that’s my crew gone ahead there’. At first they look confused but as soon as they let me in, I went up to that group and just started asking stupid questions, so the security would think I was with them,” laughed Ken.
Thankfully Ken didn’t have to ask silly questions for much longer as somebody eventually gave him a press pass that they no longer needed. “I shouted up to McGregor, saying ‘Mullingar man here, Conor can I get your picture?’, so I made my way to the front, took out my Iphone, with the smashed screen, and told Dana White (President of UFC) to take my picture”
With no fans except for Delaney in the press room, it wasn’t a common request for reporters to take their own pictures with the champion. “Conor just looked at me when I got up to him and said ‘Media my a**e!’” joked Ken, who became something of an internet hit when his Las Vegas ventures appeared on Joe.ie and Her.ie websites last week.
The McGregor madness didn’t stop there with Ken and his friends going on to share in not only a hotel, but a flight home with Conor McGregor’s parents.
Speaking of the two friends that accompanied him, Ken reckons they weren’t too impressed when they saw what he managed to do without them. “I was just so focused on getting in, it was an unmissable opportunity.”
Delaney had flown over to Vegas with two close friends specifically for the big Conor McGregor vs Chad Mendes UFC interim featherweight fight. After what turned out to be one of the best holidays of his life, ‘roving reporter’ Ken is now adjusting to reality back home in Westmeath.
