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Urijah Faber rips Conor McGregor: He gives up and I don't

Former world champion Urijah Faber is Mr. Feel Good, positive vibes man. Be that as it may, "The California Kid" is first and foremost a competitor.

So, it was no wonder that he took offense to Conor McGregor's verbal jabs directed at him and the likes of his Team Alpha Male bro Chad Mendes. Appearing on the latest episode of The Fighter & The Kid podcast with co-hosts Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen, Faber unexpectedly ripped into the notorious featherweight title challenger.

Though Faber has usually competed at 135 pounds for some years, he said he'd still enjoy fighting the much larger McGregor, if he gets the chance. "I love that fight," he said.

"I wouldn't mind fighting Conor. I'll tell you what -- he's got something that a lot of guys don't have. Something a guy like me doesn't have, a guy like Chad Mendes doesn't have, a guy like Frankie Edgar has, and that's the instincts and willingness to give up when he's about to get knee barred. I wouldn't give up. Come on ... His knee was in danger of having some pain inflicted on it and he was like, 'I'm out.'"

Faber was referring to McGregor's submission loss in 2008 to Artemij Sitenkov. Three fights later, McGregor would lose by submission again, this time to Joseph Duffy.

Everyone loses, but Faber claims that McGregor gets queasy at the prospect of any real pain, and gives up too quickly. "If his body is in danger, he gives up," Faber said.

"Can you teach that? Can you take that away? I don't think so. That's an instinct. He will give up."

All that isn't to say that Faber thinks McGregor is without skill. For example, Faber says that the Irishman has real talent ... on the microphone.

"He's a very talented guy," he admitted.

"He's got great ability to talk. And, that's not fake. That's real. We've had some private conversations where he started yapping, and I was saving my stuff and he was spitting it out (laughs)."

Faber concluded where he began -- saying that, though he'd be at a serious size disadvantage, he'd relish the chance to lay hands on McGregor.

"I think that would be a good fight," he said. "He's massive compared to me, very athletic. But, the good thing is, he does give up, and I don't."

Urijah Faber next fights former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Conor McGregor challenges featherweight champion Jose Aldo on July 11 in the main event of UFC 189.