The following article was published on this day five years ago. It is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2017, 3:29 PM]
Headline: Joe Rogan: Conor McGregor “Will Manipulate Leverage” in “Star Driven” MMA
Author: Adam Haynes
Joe Rogan and friends theorize on a new dawn in MMA, and discuss Conor McGregor’s announcement on the newly established ‘McGregor Promotions’.
McGregor had numerous topics to discuss with Ariel Helwani on Saturday in Manchester, England, including a potential bout with Floyd Mayweather, Ronda Rousey and the soon-to-come birth of his first child.
The current UFC lightweight champion also announced the birth of ‘McGregor Promotions,’ insisting that he will look to co-promote any Mayweather match with the UFC and the boxer’s company, but with considerable conditions:
“Everyone’s got to know their place,” McGregor said. “There’s Mayweather Promotions, there’s the UFC and now there’s the newly formed McGregor Promotions. And we’re all in the mix.”
Joe Rogan spoke with ex-UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub and others on Saturday’s installment of their ‘Fight Companion’ podcast, and hypothesized on the rapid evolution of MMA:
“It’s going to become what boxing is. It’s going to become that. It’s star-driven” Rogan said. “when it’s star-driven like that, guys like Conor who are legitimate stars, they have the leverage. And they’re going to manipulate that leverage. They’re going to utilize that leverage and we’re going to see what happens”.
Justin Gaethje has strong words regarding Conor McGregor’s current status in the lightweight division.
After Charles Oliveira’s successful title defense in late 2021, it’s unknown who he will face next at lightweight. Gaethje believes he is next in line for a title shot, and he hopes McGregor won’t get a fight before him.
When appearing at UFC 270 last weekend, Gaethje was asked how he would feel about McGregor getting a title shot next. He reacted strongly to this scenario, mentioning how he disagrees with that potential situation.
“I don’t know, I don’t wanna talk about it. The only reason it’s even almost (a thing) is because you guys keep asking me about it, you guys keep talking about it. You’re really just doing your job, and it’s just to create a story,” said Gaethje in an interview with BT Sport. “He’s irrelevant right now, he’s got a broken leg.
“With that question, you have to question the integrity, and you, as a journalist, have to stand behind it, and you know that it should never happen and you should do everything from keeping it from happening.”
McGregor On Two Fight Skid, Gaethje Coming Off Recent Win
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
A title shot for McGregor would certainly be odd circumstances. The former two-division champion is currently on a two-fight skid at lightweight. Both of those losses came last year in main event fights against Dustin Poirier.
Gaethje is currently the top-ranked contender at lightweight. He secured this place in the rankings after defeating former Bellator Champion Michael Chandler last year. This victory didn’t come easy, as he brawled to a “Fight of the Year” contender decision win after three rounds.
Gaethje has been in the title picture before. He challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020, getting submitted in the second round of that fight. Nurmagomedov would later retire from competition after that victory.
Do you agree with Justin Gaethje’s assessment of Conor McGregor?
In 2021, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor earned more than $150 million through endorsements alone.
McGregor took home the L twice against Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier in his only two fights of 2021, yet the Irishman still made millions off both bouts.
With fighter pay being a concerning issue in the UFC, some may be astounded to see a fighter pull in so much money without winning a single fight in the year.
But the real shocker is the amount of money Conor accrued outside the Octagon.
From sports betting site DraftKings to his shares in Irish whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve, McGregor totaled $158 million before the year ended, according to a report from olbg.com.
Conor McGregor, Photo Credit: Lawrie/Getty Images
The former two-time UFC Champion outearned Roger Federer, one of the greatest Tennis players of all time, who came close at $90 million. He also earned more than Lebron James, winner of three National Basketball Association championships and 4-time NBA MVP, who earned over $90 million less than McGregor.
McGregor is ranked at the top of the list when it comes to making money beyond his profession.
Conor McGregor Is UFC Royalty
Conor McGregor, Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
McGregor’s wins and irreverent persona have brought big money to himself and the UFC.
The OG champ-champ has certainly earned his respect. 19 wins by knockout and becoming the first champion in two weight classes(flyweight and lightweight) is no easy accomplishment. His 2013 UFC debut was a win by round 1 KO/TKO. And his 22 wins include famous names such as Max Holloway, José Aldo, Nate Diaz.
The list of headlining accomplishments is lengthy for the 32-year-old Ireland-born fighter.
There is no question that when it comes to “The Notorious,” the UFC is always listening. Although other lightweights are hungry for the title shot, McGregor, ranked #9, might be first in line.
2021 was a losing year for Conor, but he could turn it around with another championship win.
Win or lose, his popularity steadily increases. Companies invest in Conor because his name is on headlines and billboards, and the size of his fanbase is unmatched.
A title match between Oliveira and McGregor would rock the house and be a PPV cash cow. And with the astronomical monetary gain he acquires from his endorsements, 2022 could be his richest year yet.
Do you think Conor McGregor will increase his net worth in 2022?
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier has described surging welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev as “the second coming of Conor McGregor.”
In just four appearances in the Octagon, Chimaev has established himself as one of the hottest rising prospects in the UFC and a likely future champion. Not many have had as big an impact in as few outings as the Chechen-born Swede has.
After three wins in a modern-UFC record space of just 66 days in 2020, Chimaev firmly cemented his status as a name to watch. Those victories bought such prominence and attention that he was even matched up with top contender Leon Edwards multiple times.
After that matchup fell through and Chimaev was sent to the sidelines with a nasty bout of COVID-19, the 27-year-old’s charge was briefly stalled. But despite over a year away from the cage, “Borz” picked up where he left off last October at UFC 267.
Against ranked-contender Li Jingliang, Chimaev showcased his dominance with a fourth UFC finish in as many fights. Inside the opening round, the Allstars Training Center product rag-dolled “The Leech” to the mat and choked him unconscious.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMv0dRopmj/
From fans and pundits to UFC President Dana White and play-by-play commentator Jon Anik, many in the MMA community are extremely high on Chimaev. That includes current #3-ranked middleweight contender Cannonier.
During an interview with LowKick MMA, “The Killa Gorilla” praised Chimaev’s perfect start on MMA’s biggest stage. The veteran even suggested he could be the “second coming” of the sport’s biggest superstar, former two-division UFC champion McGregor.
“You know, (he’s a) hot prospect right now. Dana’s pretty hot on him, and from what he’s shown in the Octagon, the dude looks like the second coming of Conor McGregor,” said Cannonier. “But I don’t even like to make that comparison because he is his own self, he is his own man, and he’s doing his own thing. I tip my hat to the man. He’s doing a good job… If he comes up to ’85 that’d be cool too. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned.”
Chimaev Could Face A Former Title Challenger Next
If Chimaev is to come close to reaching the heights of the “Notorious” irishman in the UFC, he’ll have to get past some top contenders on his way to 170-pound gold. The first of those challenges looks set to come against the #2-ranked Gilbert Burns.
Chimaev, currently ranked #11 in the division, could secure a shot at Kamaru Usman’s welterweight title with a victory over Burns, who fell short of reaching the mountaintop at UFC 258 last February.
Would you like to see Khamzat Chimaev face Gilbert Burns next?
The following article was published on this day five years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 23, 2017, 4:56 PM]
Headline: Tyron Woodley Talks Racism and Conor McGregor on The MMA Hour
Conor McGregor was among the topics in which Tyron Woodley vented his frustrations on Monday’s MMA Hour.
Author: Adam Haynes
Woodley has been vocal in recent times regarding what he deems to be a racial agenda in the UFC and sport as a whole. UFC’s welterweight champion has openly discussed what he feels is disrespect aimed at him by fans and the franchise.
‘T-Wood’ has recently declared himself “the worst treated champion in the history of the promotion” and further reinforced his opinion that skin color is a major factor in why he has not enjoyed the same spoils of fame and recognition that lighter-skinned fighters have had in the UFC:
“Certain things are subliminally embraced that are racist. When you say to me ‘Tyron, you are well spoken’, what does that mean? Does that mean I’m well-spoken comparable to all the mixed martial artists, the 500 UFC fighters on the roster? Or does that mean as a black male in America?”
The champion, who is preparing for a rematch with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC 209 in March, also disapproves of those who use terms he feels are disrespectful to his skill-set:
“When you say I’m a freak athlete, does that mean I don’t work hard, that I’m going to fade in the later rounds? That I don’t have great cardio, that I don’t have a great skill set? It comes off to me…it almost sounds barbaric, like ‘hey, you’re strong, you knock people out, but if it gets to the later rounds you might get tired, you might fade and all those muscles come at a cost’.”
Woodley has made no secret in targeting Conor McGregor in the past, and touches upon his own podcast ‘The Champ Life’ which may be similar in format to that of ‘The Notorious’, but is in contrast when it comes to the message and material:
“I do my own podcast series. I go out and make my own opportunities but, if the person that’s promoting me and networks are talking about picking up my ‘Champ Life’ series and major companies want to endorse it and get behind it because they see value in it, I’m going to need for my promoter to not be the last one to take notice.”
“if it was [Mcgregor’s ‘the maclife’], that thing immediately took fire. And it’s same stuff every episode, flashy cars, money, talking crap, got this, got that; that’s all it is. I’m not seeing him giving back to the community and shelters. I’m not seeing him giving back to the people or networking with others. This one [The Champ Life] has an impact that can go far.”
Today, Francis Ngannou is pushing hard for a fight against Tyson Fury. In fact, the UFC heavyweight champion says he will not re-sign with the promotion unless he is allowed to explore such boxing opportunities.
Thus far, the only time the UFC has allowed a contracted fighter to participate in such an endeavor was in 2017 when Conor McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather. As recently as last year, White was open to the idea of allowing McGregor to crossover again, this time against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. However, at the time, the two sides were far apart on when it could take place.
The original story is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day One Year Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 15, 2021, 6:29 PM]
Conor McGregor and Dana White are not in agreement on whether the Irishman will be boxing Pacquiao this year, if ever.
Before Conor McGregor agreed to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, his sights were originally set on a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao. And even when he agreed to fight Poirier, there was speculation that McGregor accepted the fight in part to help prepare for Pacquiao’s southpaw style. Speaking to The Mac Life recently, McGregor reaffirmed that his interest in boxing Pacquiao stands, and he even expects the match to take place this year (via The Sun).
“I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout and it looks like it will happen this year. What time this year? I am not sure. “We’ll have to have some good discussions with Dana White and the UFC and see where it goes.”
Dana White’s Short-Term Plans for McGregor Differ
Conor McGregor assures that his interest in fighting Manny Pacquiao is not in conflict with his plans for an active MMA year. McGregor said in his MacLife interview that he plans to have a very active year in MMA for 2020. However, McGregor’s confidence in his abilities to multitask is not convincing enough for Dana White, who would love McGregor to focus on one thing while he is at his peak (via MMA Fighting).
“The way that this kid is right now mentally, physically, emotionally, I mean this kid is on and ready to fight,” White told ESPN. “I would love to see him focused on what he can do here at the UFC. Whether it’s take another shot at that title against Khabib [Nurmagomedov] or fight for the title against somebody else if Khabib retires and defend that title.
“A boxing match with any of these guys, that stuff’s always going to be there. You are the absolute best in the world right now in MMA and the timing is right now. Not getting any younger. I’d love to see him go for it here over the next year. If he wants to fight one of these boxing guys, do that next year. That fight’s always going to be there.”
Dana White chalks up McGregor’s previous boxing blockbuster against Floyd Mayweather as being a “perfect storm” that took on a life of its own. At least for the time being, White feels this 2017 boxing contest was a one-off, and there is currently substantial real estate between White’s vision for McGregor’s future and what McGregor has planned for himself in the world of boxing.
Do you think we will ever see Conor McGregor box Manny Pacquiao?
Daniel Cormier knows that the regular UFC rules do not apply to Conor McGregor.
Daniel Cormier spent seven years in the UFC. During his time there, he was both light heavyweight champion and heavyweight champion. He was one of the biggest names at the time, but even he could see that it was nothing compared to Conor McGregor.
Cormier was recently interviewed by The Schmo and was asked about Conor McGregor possibly getting a title shot in his return. Now, most people might agree that that is not something that should be happening next for the slumping McGregor, but Cormier is a realist. He knows the rules do not apply to McGregor.
“Honestly, I really do believe that there are different rules in regards to Conor,” Cormier told The Schmo. “And people might not like it, people may hate it but if he is healthy and he starts to chirp and Oliveira is chirping back at him and there is fan interest, I can see a world where it happens. But again, it would make so many people upset – ultimately a lot of times it comes down to dollars and cents.”
McGregor is the most popular fighter on the roster and is by far the biggest earner for the company. If anyone can receive a title shot coming off two consecutive losses and a broken leg, it would be him. Cormier is right that money talks and not just from a UFC brass point of view but to his potential opponents as well.
McGregor is still healing up from his broken leg. Only time will tell if he gets his wish and fights for a title upon his return to the lightweight division.
Would you like to see McGregor get an immediate lightweight title shot?
A police investigation is ongoing after two petrol bombs were thrown at Conor McGregor’s Black Forge Inn Pub overnight.
According to an initial report from The Sun, the two bombs were found on the premises following the criminal incident. Fortunately, there was no damage caused, but local police are encouraging any potential witnesses to come forward with information to assist with the investigation. They are also seeking dashcam footage to help identify the perpetrators.
McGregor is universally regarded as the biggest superstar in UFC history. His most recent bout saw him lose to Dustin Poirier via doctor’s stoppage after breaking his leg. He is expected to make his Octagon return later this year.
MMA News will keep you updated as more information becomes available on this developing story.
Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has discussed the possibility of a mass departure of the UFC’s top stars taking place in the promotion this year.
With the success of celebrity boxing, among other factors, the sport of MMA has moved into a climate where fighter pay is at the forefront of the agenda.
Since then, however, the UFC has chosen to increase pay-per-view prices and keep the lesser-regarded fighters in the promotion on as low as $12,000 per fight.
With the UFC also distributing one of the lowest percentages of its profits to its athletes among the top sports leagues and companies in the United States, it’s no surprise some stars believe they’re owed more, both in terms of money and treatment.
Still, despite the criticism on the matter, White maintains the debate is as simple as ‘it’s only bad if you lose’.
In recent months and years, we’ve seen the likes of Jon Jones express their dismay at the money they’re receiving. In response to Jones requesting more remuneration to face Francis Ngannou in what would have arguably been one of the biggest fights in history, the UFC seemingly abandoned plans for the showdown, leading to Jones spending the entirety of 2021 on the sidelines.
The last I spoke with @UFC about my salary there was no negotiating. If that ever changes, i’d love to come back and compete again as a heavyweight. Until then, I’ll be enjoying Ufc has a fan and doing my best to take care of my family and community https://t.co/NoTTpRTMH0
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that talk of a number of stars moving into free agency instead of signing new contracts has hit the surface. This year, we could see Ngannou, Israel Adesanya, Nate Diaz, and Conor McGregor all complete the final bouts on their active deals.
In a recent episode of The MMA Hour, host Helwani discussed the possibility of those names choosing to test the waters of free agency rather than re-sign with the UFC.
“That’s another interesting story to follow in 2022, Israel Adesanya’s contract. Not quite at the point of Nathan (Diaz’s), I think there’s a couple (fights) left, but that’s an interesting one to follow. Could you imagine in 2022, we are facing a potential scenario where Izzy might reach the end of his contract, Diaz reaches the end of his contract, Conor McGregor reaches the end of his contract, Francis Ngannou reaches the end of his contract. Think about that for a second. Think about how big those names are. Think about the power that they have. It could be fascinating times.”
As Helwani later pointed out, the UFC usually re-signs its fighters before they reach the final appearance on their contracts. While the unranked Charles Jourdain recently dipped his toes into the market before choosing to sign another UFC deal, Helwani questioned the impact it would have if the biggest stars in the promotion chose to follow suit.
“The brilliance of the UFC is they don’t let the fighters get to the end because they know they wanna lock them up before they get to the end, before they’re able to test those waters, those free-agent waters. But what if they want to? What if they play their cards right and they get to the point where they can? Fascinating times.”
Ngannou Could Depart The UFC If He Loses At UFC 270
The biggest contractual story in the UFC right now surrounds the status of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou. Remarkably, “The Predator” is heading into a blockbuster unification title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 with a possible departure from the promotion looming.
If Ngannou loses on January 22, he will be out of contract and free to take his power elsewhere. If he wins, he’ll be contractually obliged to defend the title again.
With an increasing number of fighters now questioning their pay and contracts in comparison to the likes of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, one of the promotion’s top champions potentially about to fight out his deal, and a number of the UFC’s top stars one or two fights away from a similar situation, will we see a new tone set in regards to testing free agency before re-signing? Only time will tell.
Do you think we could see some UFC stars fight out their contracts and explore free agency in the near future?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler still thinks a matchup with Dustin Poirier makes a lot of sense if Poirier stays at 155 pounds.
Chandler still has UFC title ambitions despite back-to-back losses to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. He remains a big name in the lightweight division and could be back in the title shot conversation if he can get on a winning streak.
Poirier also lost to Oliveira at UFC 269, and both men are in somewhat of an uncertain position in the 155-pound division. Poirier has also alluded to a move to welterweight for the remainder of his career after losing his second title shot to Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Chandler has hinted at a possible matchup with Conor McGregor in 2022, although it’s unclear if the UFC will go through with it.
“That’s what I wanted to do when I came into the UFC,” Chandler said. “I wanted to fight all the top guys. Poirier was actually one of the guys that we asked for, and he declined at the very beginning, which I have no problem with that. He was at the top of the division and I was the guy from outside the UFC coming in.
“So he’s always been a name on the list. He’s a guy that I respect. A guy that I admire inside the sport of mixed martial arts. A guy who I would love to compete against.”
Chandler has recently taken back comments in which he referred to Poirier as a “quitter” following his UFC 269 defeat. After getting off to a good start against Oliveira, Poirier was submitted with a standing rear-naked choke in Round 3.
Chandler and Poirier are still fighting for championships, and a matchup between them would certainly make sense at lightweight. However, Poirier’s reluctance to commit to a future at 155 pounds may take the matchup out of the conversation.
Who do you want to see Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier fight next?
Long before Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor was announced, the two superstars were already involved in an inter-sport feud, as captured in the following story.
The following article was published on this day six years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Six Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2016, 9:00 AM]
Headline: Conor McGregor Calls Out Floyd Mayweather Over Racism Comments
Author: Eric Lynch
Conor McGregor has officially called out undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, saying the two “can organize a fight no problem.”
McGregor recently wrote a message on his Facebook page mostly addressing the media and apologizing for a photo of him with a rifle, but the note also took aim at Mayweather. McGregor responded to an interview Mayweather did in December, where the boxer said he feels the media favors McGregor over him due to racism.
“I don’t really know the McGregor guy, never seen him fight,” Mayweather told FightHype.com. “They say he talks a lot of trash and people praise him for it, but when I did it, they say I’m cocky and arrogant. So biased! Like I said before, all I’m saying is this: I ain’t racist at all, but I’m telling you racism still exists.”
McGregor, who is fresh off a 13-second knockout victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 194, fired back at “TBE” on Friday. He told Mayweather not to bring race into his success and made it clear he’s willing to fight over it. McGregor also took the opportunity to say he feels Mayweather only deserves 20% of the revenue from their potential fight, as McGregor’s last pay-per-view event may have had twice as many sales as Mayweather’s last fight against Andre Berto in September.
Here’s what the UFC featherweight champion had to say on Facebook about Mayweather:
“Floyd Mayweather, don’t ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood. In my family’s long history of warfare there was a time where just having the name ‘McGregor’ was punishable by death.
“Do not ever put me in a bracket like this again. If you want we can organise a fight no problem. I will give you a fair 80/20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue.
“At 27 years of age I now hold the key to this game. The game answers to me now.”
Related: Video: Floyd Mayweather Takes Shots At Randy Couture & MMA
Back in August, McGregor felt confident that both he and Ronda Rousey could defeat Mayweather in a hypothetical scenario.
“In a real fight I would dismantle him in seconds,” McGregor told The Guardian. “Ronda Rousey would dismantle him in seconds – 100%. When you don’t know how to grapple you don’t stand a chance. For us, it’s like playing with a baby. People who don’t understand the sport cannot understand how vulnerable they are. There are always clinches and Ronda is a judo Olympian. She would throw Floyd on his head in a second. Me? I would knock him out. Cold.”
Related: Ronda Rousey Also Says She Could Beat Floyd Mayweather In A No-Rules Fight
Conor McGregor will reportedly be challenging UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC 197 on 3/5 in Las Vegas.
Before the pub attacksand alleged DJ abuse, Conor McGregor was in hot water for….a photograph?
In January 2016, then-UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor was under investigation in Ireland for a photo he posted on Instagram that appeared to depict him holding an automatic rifle. The Notorious then returned to Dublin and had the Gardai looking into whether the weapon was real or a replica.
“We are investigating the circumstances under which the photo was taken,” a Gardai spokesperson told The Irish Independent. “Gardai from Crumlin are investigating.”
Here’s the photo in question:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAOA3AHrztJ/
Some believed the firearm to be a replica Heckler and Koch MP5 machine pistol with a silencer attached.
One day later, McGregor revealed released the following Instagram post to explain the image.
“Media instigators/An Garda Siochana. I apologise for having the air-soft in public. I was simply rehearsing for a potential upcoming film role. I understand that the more traffic a story can get the more revenue it generates. So I understand and respect that the media must create these stories and these situations even if at times it is at other people’s expense. We’ve all got to eat. And I eat well. So I will not complain.”
Despite the alleged investigation, McGregor went on to become obscenely rich, famous, and very much free to involve himself in multiple legitimate criminal investigations over the years.
Most recently, McGregor was hit with assault charges after an alleged attack on famous Italian DJ Francesco Facchinetti while in Rome last October and breaking his nose.
As it stands, McGregor continues to live life lavishly and comfortably. Indeed, the only cage he can be found in is the UFC Octagon, where he continues to smash pay-per-view records quicker than a fan’s cell phone.
The Notorious One is expected to make his UFC return this year after recovering from leg surgery. There is no word yet on who he will face next.
“A lot of people inside the top 15, top 5, top 10 they’re gonna say, ‘What the f**k is happening? Why is Conor McGregor getting to skip the line?’ Well, guess what? As I said, this is prizefighting, this is pay-per-views, this is the UFC, and they put on the fights, historically that we want to see, okay?” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
Charles Oliveira Conor McGregor
“The fights that we want to see, they are the fights the UFC put up. So, if you’re not happy that Conor McGregor might get to skip the line and fight the champion when he’s not even ranked, don’t blame Conor McGregor, don’t blame Dana White, don’t blame the UFC, blame your-f**king-self because you are ultimately responsible.”
Although Bisping says McGregor is unranked, that is not true. He is ranked ninth but he still is well outside the top-five, which is generally where you need to be to get a title shot. However, even when Bisping fought Dan Henderson for the belt, Henderson was ranked 10th, so we have seen this before. Additionally, Georges St-Pierre was also unranked at middleweight when he defeated Bisping for the title at UFC 217.
McGregor is the biggest star in MMA history and draws a ton of pay-per-views, so financially it does make sense for the UFC to put the Irishman in the title fight, even if he is on a two-fight losing skid.
Do you think Conor McGregor should get the next lightweight title shot?
Dustin Poirier has always been up for new ventures, and now that includes owning his own whiskey company.
Poirier already has a hot sauce company, but on Wednesday evening, Poirier announced he has created his own whiskey called Rare Stash, and it got an immediate buzz from fans. Many thought that, by making it, Poirier was taking a shot at his rival, Conor McGregor, who also has his own whiskey company in Proper No. 12.
“What’s up man, I just want to say thank you to all my fans across the world, thank you for the love and support over the years,” Poirier said in the video. I’m excited to introduce you guys to my Rare Stash, check it out.”
With Poirier having his own whiskey business, it is another flow of income for him, as after his title fight loss to Charles Oliveira, he hinted he may retire. If he does decide to hang up the gloves, he now has the whiskey money and the hot sauce money coming in.
“I can do anything I put my mind to. I can fight for another belt, I can go on another streak, I can claw and climb and get back to wherever I want to be,” Poirier said. “It’s just, do I want to? That’s the question I’ve got to look in the mirror and answer. Do I want to do it again? Do I want to go down that road again? That answer will come in the next couple days or couple weeks.”
Dustin Poirier, as mentioned, is coming off the title fight submission loss to Oliveira in the main event of UFC 269 for the lightweight strap. Prior to that, he had back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor in 2021. Those victories made Poirier a big star, especially due to the fact he became the first person to KO the Irishman back in January.
What do you make of Dustin Poirier creating his own whiskey?
Chael Sonnen has been impressed by Jake Paul’s young boxing career, and he sees some likenesses to that of former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Paul is fresh off his sixth-round knockout over another former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, to remain undefeated in the ring. In 2021, he earned back-to-back wins over Woodley along with a vicious knockout of Ben Askren.
There’s no question that Paul has great ambitions in boxing, as evidenced by recent callouts of Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and McGregor. While he has been criticized for his lack of true boxing competition, he seems intent on continuing the ‘MMA vs. Boxing’ storyline.
During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Sonnen explains what he thinks so highly of Paul despite being just a few fights into his boxing career.
“Jake Paul had a crazy idea that he’s going to go into a sport of which he does not belong with no amateur pedigree, no golden gloves, no lineage within the family, like you know, my uncle fought, my grandpa used to box in the Army, nothing like that,” Sonnen said. “He’s going to do well, and he’s going to headline shows with Olympians and world champions on the card. They are going to open. He is going to be the marquee fight. That is ridiculous. He did just that. Jake Paul is calling his own shots the way Conor McGregor used to do when Conor was getting his come up and then he’s seeing them through.”
Chael Sonnen Sees Eerie Parallels Between Jake Paul, Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Sonnen went on to point out how McGregor used to defy the odds with his fight predictions, which is similar to what Paul is doing now.
“Remember ‘Mystic Mac’ and he had a crystal ball? Conor was not only calling the stoppages, he was calling the rounds. And then once he calls the stoppages and he calls the rounds, he starts calling the technique that he’s going to stop them with. Remember when he was doing that? Jake Paul is doing the same thing.”
McGregor has dabbled into the boxing world once before when he fought Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. Despite losing via TKO, he impressed many with his ability to transition well to another sport.
Paul has claimed that he makes more than McGregor, who topped the Forbes Top 100 list in 2021. He has also teased McGregor on social media and in multiple interviews, and a big-money fight between the two of them may not be far-fetched.
Bellator Featherweight Champion AJ McKee is hoping to test his skills against the best in combat sports, including Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.
McKee has quickly developed into one of the top mixed martial artists in the world. At the age of just 26, “Mercenary” has built an unblemished 18-0 record, which includes 13 finishes, beating the likes of Darrion Caldwell and Patricio Pitbull, and having Bellator’s 145-pound strap wrapped around his waist.
After an incredible neck crank submission victory over Caldwell in November 2020 sent him to the final of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix, McKee established himself as the top dog in the division by dethroning then-double champ Pitbull. A first-round choke secured his place on the throne and his spot amongst the global featherweight elite.
At such a young age, McKee has plenty of time to boost his skills and close any gap there might be between himself and the likes of Volkanovski and Max Holloway, and perhaps even crossover to MMA’s premier organization to challenge them. But his ambitions don’t end at facing the best in the cage.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, McKee revealed his aspirations to challenge the greatest across all realms of combat. With that in mind, he’s hoping to test his abilities against former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor and legendary undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather inside the squared circle.
“Hell yeah (I’ll box McGregor), what’s up, he’s got a couple fights left, Showtime Boxing, let’s do it. Definitely, I’ll box anybody… I’m a fighter. I want to test my skills against the best. That’s why I’ve always called out Floyd. It’s not like, ‘Ah, I wanna beat Floyd.’ I wanna test my skills, hand-to-hand combat, with one of the best athletes in hand-to-hand combat.
“I’m down for anybody. If it’s 145, ’55, 170, boxing I’ll go up three weight classes, what do I have to lose? It ain’t affecting my mixed martial arts career record. For me, it’s all money moves and fun and games.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXUFj3AvnQX/
With Vitor Belfort, Anderson Silva, Tito Ortiz, Frank Mir, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley all crossing over to the ring across the past year, a Mayweather and McGregor callout from a rising MMA champion isn’t as crazy as it would have seemed prior to 2021.
Should McKee continue his dominance in Bellator and possibly make the transition to the UFC, perhaps we’ll see him lace the boxing gloves against top names like “The Notorious” McGregor and “Money” Mayweather in the coming years. Having previously called out the latter, it seems that’s who McKee really has his sights set on.
Would you like to see AJ McKee test his skills in the ring against Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather?
On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 209, which he had to pull out from due to weight-cutting complications.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2017, 4:59 PM]
HEADLINE: Khabib Nurmagomedov Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight
Author: Adam Haynes
Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media this morning to offer Tony Ferguson a cash incentive to fight.
Conor McGregor may be the lightweight champion of the world, but there is a strong case to suggest that no one is more deserved of a title shot than “The Eagle”. Nurmagomedov is currently the #1-ranked lightweight in the UFC, and intends to secure a showdown with “The Notorious” by ensuring a clear path is made to a bout with the Irishman.
A much-anticipated bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson hit the skids last week after it emerged that Dana White had called it off on the grounds of a dispute over pay from the American’s camp. White is reluctant to negotiate on a contract that has recently been signed by Ferguson, suggesting that “El Cucuy” should honor the existing terms of their agreement. White [via Fox Sports] insisted:
“We were trying to make that fight — Tony said he will not do that fight unless he makes the same exact money that Khabib makes. Khabib has a different deal. That ain’t happening. Count that out.”
“He has a contract that he just signed, not long ago. I honor every contract no matter what it is. I get into some (expletive) deals, too. You’ve got a guy who’s making tons of money but he was a champion, but that was the deal I cut. I cut that deal and I signed it and I’ve got to live with my deal.”
Hey @TonyFergusonXT if the @ufc don't want to pay you I'll pay you 200k extra on your purse let's make this fight now you have no excuse
Nurmagomedov has handled this latest setback accordingly, offering $200,000 dollars to Ferguson from his own pocket. It appears that Russia’s premier UFC star will not entertain the idea of fighting anyone else other than Ferguson, going as far as suggesting that he is being kept from reaching the top via clandestine politics by the UFC top-brass. “The Eagle” took to Instagram recently to confirm that his sights are firmly set on the 155lb throne:
“This message to UFC — it is clear to everyone that you hiding Conor from me. But stop lying to your fans like I don’t want fight with Aldo, I’m ready to fight with anyone in my division. Give me relevant fight, so you won’t be able to hide the belt from me after. But not the fight, where people say after my victory: he is too small, Khabib too big for him etc”.
While there are many fights out there for the sambo-expert, not many can deny his credentials as a worthy challenger to McGregor. With the Dubliner having all but confirmed his temporary hiatus from the octagon for the foreseeable future, Nurmagomedov knows that he must remain active and solidify his status as the next man in line for a title shot. A victory against Tony Ferguson will surely stake his claim for a “red panty night”, and propel him closer to the fight which many believe is long overdue.
The following article was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2019, 11:24 AM]
HEADLINE: Archives: McGregor Sends Jon Jones Gift After UFC 232 Win (2019)
Author: Jon Fuentes
Jon Jones is back. “Bones” made dominant work of Alexander Gustafsson this past weekend (Sat. December 29, 2018) at UFC 232. The two main evented the pay-per-view (PPV) with their rematch from their legendary 2013 title fight. While their first fight went all five rounds, Jones finished Gustafsson in the third round via TKO in their rematch. Now, he’s once again the 205-pound champion of the world.
It looks like former “Champ Champ” Conor McGregor has offered Jones a congratulatory gift. Per Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, “The Notorious” has sent Jones and his team a few bottles of Proper 12 Whiskey to celebrate the occasion:
“Ran into @jonnybones in the hotel lobby and he said @TheNotoriousMMA sent him and his team a bunch of Proper 12 whiskey!”
Ran into @jonnybones in the hotel lobby and he said @TheNotoriousMMA sent him and his team a bunch of Proper 12 whiskey!
This certainly might not be the best gift to offer Jones at the moment. Jones has had some issues with drugs and alcohol in the past, which have greatly affected his career inside the cage. McGregor received a lot of criticism for this on Twitter. He even responded to one fan, who called the Irishman a ban influence.
McGregor responded by saying, “I prefer the term “influential”. But McGregor soon made the decision to delete the Tweet:
After rebounding with a main event victory over a Dan Hooker in 2020, a bout awarded the Fight of the Night honours and widely considered a Fight of the Year contender, Poirier re-visited his rivalry with a certain “Notorious” Irishman in 2021.
Having leveled the score in the feud by becoming the first man to knock McGregor out at UFC 257, Poirier was seemingly in line for a shot at the vacant belt. Instead, he chose another money fight with the former two-division champion, one that ended with trilogy glory for the Louisianan.
But while most expected him to close out a spectacular year with title success, the formidable underdog presence of champion Charles Oliveira stood in his way. In the final pay-per-view main event of the year, “Do Bronx” submitted Poirier in the third round, a heartbreaking case of déjà vu for the perennial contender.
Following his latest setback, Poirier was unsurprisingly de-motivated and deflated. He even suggested he may never fight at lightweight again and claimed no potential fight excited him anymore. However, the thought of a clash with veteran fan-favorite Nate Diaz soon brought a glimpse of motivation back for the 32-year-old.
But while both parties appeared to accept the fight for early 2022, a stall in negotiations has seemingly left Poirier back in an uncertain crossroads in his career. That’s much to the confusion of Felder, who believes the Diaz fight was a no-brainer.
“It should be done (Poirier vs. Diaz). That should have written itself right then and there after Dustin lost that fight to Charles Oliveira. He needs a fun fight… He just needs to go out there against somebody and not be worried about titles, not have the pressure. Even a Conor McGregor fight I think is too much for him right now. Just go out there against another top dog, somebody who’s been around for a while, and try to get a W, and if not, go get paid, make people see it. I think he needs a light-hearted fight, not that any of them are easy, but he needs one with no title implications on the line.”
While all parties appeared to agree a fourth Poirier vs. McGregor clash is inevitable soon after UFC 264, the Irishman certainly isn’t short of other options and looks to have his sights set on Oliveira’s lightweight gold. Apart from that, potential bouts with Michael Chandler and Max Holloway also offer intriguing possibilities for McGregor’s comeback.
For Poirier, the options aren’t as clear heading into the new year. He’s previously teased a switch to welterweight, and with his potential departure from the 155-pound division, perhaps we’ll be seeing a grudge match between “The Diamond” and his former teammate Colby Covington in the near future, although that would certainly veer away from the type of fights Felder believes Poirier should be pursuing.
Do you agree with Paul Felder? Would a fourth fight against Conor McGregor be too much for Dustin Poirier at the moment?
Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley is hoping to make a similarly-sized splash in the business world as Conor McGregor but through a different product.
Despite a relatively short career in the Octagon so far, O’Malley has already grown into one of the most recognized personalities in the UFC. Whether through his eccentric fight week attire, his charisma, his slick striking style, or a combination of them all, fans certainly tune in to see “The Suga Show.”
Since his rise up the bantamweight ladder stalled at the hands of Marlon Vera in 2020, O’Malley has been back to his best. In 2021, “Sugar” went 3-0 with victories over Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho, and Raulian Paiva. In the final pay-per-view of the year, the Montana native closed out a perfect 12 months by delivering a highlight-reel knockout against the formerly-ranked Paiva.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuGuo5Dtff/
O’Malley Targets Success Inside & Outside The Octagon
But while UFC glory is first and foremost for O’Malley, he’s also looking to make a lucrative impact in the business world.
While he wasn’t the first to mix fighting with other money-making ventures, Conor McGregor has found success doing so like no one before him. From his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey to his McGregor Fast training system, the Irishman has taken new industries by storm and lined his pockets nicely in the process.
Looking to follow in the footsteps of the fighter he described as the only person he’s ever looked up to, O’Malley has his own plans for building a multi-million dollar business empire. But while the bulk of that success came through whiskey for McGregor, “Sugar” is targeting the marijuana scene.
During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley revealed his aspirations and explained why developing his own marijuana strain will be a tough challenge.
“I think the big one, the one that’ll probably be the biggest, hasn’t happened yet. And that’s gonna be a strain, a certain strain, the ‘Sugar strain,’ and it’s getting into that business, like, we’ve tried it a couple times, but it’s tough. There’s a lot of things you’ve gotta figure out; laws, federal laws. The weed game’s tough. I think that’s definitely something I wanna get into. But you have to pick the right people, the right partners.
“I think that’s gonna be similar to the whiskey, Conor’s whiskey. I think that could be my fucking-my $100 million business. We’ve tried to (do it already) and it’s tough… I’m waiting for the right people to come around.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CULbplJLUMR/
O’Malley and McGregor interacted for the first time at a Dallas Cowboys game earlier this year. With the Irishman apparently complimenting the bantamweight’s performance at UFC 264, perhaps he’ll be willing to lend some tips to the rising 27-year-old as he looks to make his mark in both the fighting and business realms.
Do you think Sean O’Malley can emulate the business success of Conor McGregor?
UFC President Dana White has had some difficult fighter relationships during his time with the promotion, but Conor McGregor is an exception.
McGregor is in the middle of his planned comeback to the UFC Octagon next year, after suffering a brutal leg injury at UFC 264. In the meantime, he’s managed to stay active on social media and in the gym.
White has never been afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to the fighters on his roster. He and McGregor have always seemed to have a cordial relationship, even when McGregor hasn’t shown up on time.
“You know better than anybody, how f*cking dirty the fight business is, man,” White said. “It doesn’t take much to get somebody to cut somebody’s throat in the fight business. But there’s been a lot of fighters that have been incredibly loyal to me, and I’ve been incredibly loyal to them. Conor McGregor is one of them. Conor’s a f*cking handful, boy.
Conor McGregor and Dana White Miles Apart On Pacquiao Fight
“But when you look at the way fighters are built, they’re different than everybody else on this planet. But the Ronda Rouseys, the Chuck Liddells, Matt Hughes, Conor McGregor, there’s a lot. And I don’t wanna mention people, but there’s been a lot of fighters over the past 20 years that have been very loyal.”
A big reason why the UFC, and MMA in general, have grown immensely over the years is its global superstars. McGregor is one of the most notable names, bringing a brash and exciting style into the UFC ranks.
Despite his large fortune, McGregor doesn’t seem like he’s planning on retiring anytime soon. He’s looking forward to getting back on track after back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021.
Pro wrestling legend CM Punk has no doubt that Conor McGregor will be billy strutting into a WWE arena at some point in the future.
If there is one man who knows a thing or two about crossing over into the unknown it’s CM Punk. Punk dared to try his hand at the highest level of MMA in his pro debut five years ago in the UFC. Punk suffered lopsided defeats in both of his professional bouts, but that doesn’t negate the work that was put in behind the scenes to try a new athletic venture.
But when it comes to cross-over athletes, the most recent poster boys for this movement have been the Paul brothers. From high school wrestlers to burgeoning professional boxers, not only has the duo made an athletic crossover themselves but Jake Paul, in particular, has facilitated the crossover of two MMA athletes and counting, with multiple names in the sport vying to join Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley on the YouTuber’s record.
CM Punk Predicts Conor McGregor Will Join WWE
Speaking with ESPN SportsNation recently, Punk credited the Paul brothers’ courage in their commitment to their new careers and name-dropped a couple of other big-named crossover stars past and future, including the biggest star of them all in the MMA world (h/t Cageside Seats).
“A lot of the times — a lot of the sacrifice goes unnoticed. But it’s what it is. When [Floyd] Mayweather crossed over and did a match at WrestleMania, I’m sure we’re eventually going to see [Conor] McGregor come over… [Ronda] Rousey was excellent when she came over. The bottom line is making money. If you’re making money, you’re technically not really doing anything wrong.”
As Punk mentioned, there have been some notable megastars to enter the pro wrestling ring in the past. Floyd Mayweather performed at WrestleMania 24 in 2008, and Ronda Rousey was a full-time performer from 2018-2019. But what stands out in Punk’s quote is his confidence that McGregor will join these ranks.
The idea of Vince McMahon officially passing the billy-strut torch to McGregor in the WWE has been given life by the Irishman himself. In 2019, McGregor stated that he might consider joining the WWE or Hollywood after his UFC career is over.
CM Punk’s MMA crossover run officially ended when he made his pro wrestling return by signing with All Elite Wrestling in August. If Mystic Punk’s prediction rings true, McGregor’s crossover has yet to begin but is inevitable.
How do you think Conor McGregor would fit in the WWE?
One week ago today, Tyron Woodley was knocked out by Jake Paul. However, three years ago today, the then-UFC champion Woodley envisioned knocking out Conor McGregor.
The following article is brought to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 25, 2018, 6:41 PM]
Headline: Tyron Woodley Envisions Knocking Conor McGregor Out
Tyron Woodley has reason to believe he could be knocking out Conor McGregor in the future.
Tyron Woodley and Conor McGregor have had their names linked together in the past, beginning as early in 2016 after a backstage incident at UFC 205, the same event McGregor would become the first champion in two different weight classes simultaneously.
One idea floated around for McGregor’s next performance following this achievement was potentially moving up to challenge Tyron Woodley at welterweight. Woodley welcomed the idea, but McGregor would not compete again after UFC 205 until earlier this year at UFC 229, when Conor McGregor made his long-awaited return to attempt to reclaim the lightweight championship against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
One of the millions of viewers for that showdown was Tyron Woodley himself, who came away with an even bigger confidence boost should a bout between him and McGregor ever materialize:
“Yeah,” Woodley responded in an appearance on Fair Game with Kristine Leahy on whether he believes he’d defeat Conor McGregor, “especially after watching him fight Khabib. You know, Khabib is dope, and he was undefeated. When it comes down to overall martial arts and being able to be a great striker, and power, and wrestling, and defense, and striking, I think Khabib is dope for his pressure and his wrestling. But his striking is not the greatest in his division, and he was able to knock Conor down. So if Khabib could knock you down, I think I might be able to knock you out,” Woodley said.
Had McGregor been victorious, both Woodley and McGregor would have gotten their wish: McGregor would have an opportunity to claim even more gold in his UFC career, while Woodley would finally get the big money fight he has longed for.
But with McGregor now fixated on earning his way back to Khabib and Woodley with a dual-title threat of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, a Woodley vs. McGregor bout may just end up on the long list of matchups that never was.
Do you believe Tyron Woodley would knock Conor McGregor out if the two were to clash in the Octagon?
As we know, McGregor did not emerge victorious from this historic bout, but he no doubt picked up thousands if not millions of additional fans for his promotional work leading into the fight and his valiant effort inside the boxing ring.
Here is a look back to when McGregor was hyping up a boxing match that no one ever thought would or even could happen. Yet, McGregor was arguably the biggest driving force that made it a reality. And that, in itself, is a victory.
The following article was published five years ago to this day, and it is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On this day five years ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 25, 2016,11:57 AM]
Headline: McGregor Posts Another Mayweather Tease: “I Am Going To Break His Face”
Author: Matt Boone
As 2016, one of the craziest years in MMA history, comes to an end, two-weight UFC World Champion Conor McGregor checks in with one last “Notorious” tweet to hype up the fantasy boxing match that fans are chomping at the bit for.
Featured below is the latest Twitter offering from UFC’s Irish-born mega-star. As seen in the tweet embedded below, McGregor posted a photo of himself wearing boxing gloves in a new split-screen shot that also features boxing’s pound-for-pound king, Floyd Mayweather.
The caption for the photo reads: “I am going to break his face.”
As noted, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor recently acquired his boxing license for the state of California. As Mayweather pointed out, this means very little, as “Money” Mayweather typically fights in Las Vegas, Nevada, a city that McGregor has claimed he will never fight in again after what he felt was unfair treatment he received as a result of his “Bottle Gate” fiasco with Nate Diaz ahead of their UFC 202 rematch earlier this year.
As 2017 approaches, the fight world continues to wait for any real sign that a McGregor-Mayweather showdown is possible. For now, we’ll have to continue to find enjoyment out of the small teases that both McGregor and Mayweather continue to strategically keep going in the media.
As you continue to celebrate Christmas 2021, join us in taking a look back at the MMA News’ Naughty & Nice List of 2018, courtesy of ex-staff member Adam Martin.
The following editorial is brought to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 21, 2018, 12:42 PM]
Headline: MMA Naughty & Nice Christmas List For 2018
Author: Adam Martin
Just like any other year, there was good and bad in MMA in 2018. Below are some instances of those in the business who were naughty, and those who were nice.
Naughty: Khabib Nurmagomedov Jumps Over Cage
There’s no question UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov tops the naughty list after jumping over the fence at UFC 229 and going after Conor McGregor’s corner. Regardless of what Team McGregor said to Nurmagomedov in the lead-up to the fight, he had no business scaling the fence and then launching himself into the crowd. Nurmagomedov hasn’t even received his full punishment for the incident yet, and he is likely headed for more fines and suspensions. But the worst thing about this is that the lightweight division finally had some momentum again and this incident stalled it. The UFC might want to book the rematch between Nurmagomedov and McGregor just because it will sell big bucks, but the promotion shouldn’t even risk something like this happening again.
Nice: UFC Lets Demetrious Johnson Go, Completes Trade with ONE
What wasn’t the greatest PR move was the UFC signing Greg Hardy to a contract. Yes, Hardy is an intriguing heavyweight prospect with huge knockout power and raw athleticism who could be something special. But you can’t ignore his past, and his domestic violence incident will always stay with him. The sport of MMA has a lot of people in it who have done some bad things, so Hardy shouldn’t be completely singled out, but the UFC signing him and then booking him on the same card as Rachael Ostovich was a terrible move.
Nice: “Jacare” Holds Up From Hurting Chris Weidman
Golden Boy MMA goes on the naughty list for actually booking Chuck Liddell to fight in the year 2018. Liddell had no business coming out of retirement and it wasn’t shocking at all to see him get brutally knocked out by Tito Ortiz at age 48. Shame on the promotion, shame on the commission, and shame on the fighter. This fight was embarrassing and should have never happened. Liddell should truly never fight again, and at this point it looks like Golden Boy MMA itself may never put on a fight again, either.
Nice: Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodriguez Take Hospital Photo After Epic Brawl
Arguably the best fight of 2018 was the wild brawl between Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodriguez at the UFC’s 25th anniversary event. The two featherweight sluggers went at each other for nearly five full rounds before Rodriguez landed an insane upward elbow with one second left in the fifth round to pick up maybe the single-greatest knockout in MMA history. After the fight, the two warriors posed in the hospital for a memorable picture that exemplified the respect and true martial arts that the bedrock of this sport was built on.
Naughty: Conor McGregor Bus Incident
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the bus incident back at UFC 223. Conor McGregor threw a dolly through a bus window which ended up injuring several fighters and leading to multiple fights being scrapped. It was one of the ugliest outside-the-cage incidents involving an MMA fighter all year, perhaps only eclipsed by Nurmagomedov jumping over the fence at UFC 229, depending on how you look at things.
What are some other examples of naughty and nice in MMA in 2018? Leave a comment below with your examples.
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