Mega Thread 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor

[Taylor]

McGregor:

 

[BradWCE]

McGregor's fellow UFC fighters baffle me. They see the position McGregor's got into and rather than wanting to get to that position, they want him to be back where they are. At least it seems like that judging by the things they're saying.

Cejudo says you can't think you're higher than the UFC. Why the hell not? Why should the UFC have all this power and make you do what they want, when they want? They don't care what the fighters want a lot of the time. It's not just the UFC, it's all promotions. They have so much power and the fighters have so little, so they can do pretty much whatever they want.

The fighters think the promotion is their friend, but at the same time the promotion is someone that is an authority figure over them apparently. Not sure how the fighters get this straight in their head. When you see the fighters reactions to stuff like this, you can see why fighters continue to give up even more power to the promotions.

I saw someone point out that Mayweather and Pacquiao didn't do a media tour for their fight. After all the media that McGregor has done how much of a boost was this mini tour going to do? If it really has nothing to do with money then is this not an absolutely terrible financial decision by the UFC? If it's seriously just about the media obligations then they're giving up so much money to make sure fighters know their place.

McGregor also did them a huge favour by taking on fighters in short notice bouts, but clearly they don't care. That's expected and if you don't do that then they'll publicly shame you.

 

[BradWCE]

Dana said it's got nothing to do with money.

He also said the UFC's relationship with McGregor isn't damaged at all. Do you also believe that? They pulled the biggest star in MMA from a huge card and will likely lose out on a lot of money. Relationship's still fine though, lol.

Right so of course it's about money and "sources said" so it must be true.

Sources said>>>Dan White.

Got it.

Yeah pretty much. Dana White's words lost all meaning a long time ago. It's funny that he has this reputation for telling it like it is. He always lies and twists things, but because he acts like an angry twitter user constantly, he's somehow more trustworthy than a more typical president of a large company.

This image basically sums it up.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

I really dont know what to think right now, after listening to a few opinions in the know sounds more and more like a power play we saw it in the early days with Tito and bit with Brock. apparently Connor has become a nightmare, which the UFC only have themselves to blame stupid stuff like staff waiting around for 4 hours waiting for him to turn up to diffrent things. Basically Connor believes his own hype and thats whats made him as big as what he has become. look its a back and forth I dont really know where its all headed I dont think he will fight on UFC 200 but I do think he will fight again with the UFC. He basicly wont be able to fight anywhere else anyways.

 

[DazalenkoUBewty]

Conor releasing statement shortly, on Twitter, so his twitter account says.

 

[Dan]

Conor's statement on facebook....

I am just trying to do my job and fight here.
I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote.
I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.
There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.
50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I'm left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation. And the many distractions that led to this.
Nothing else was going through my mind.
It is time to go back and live the life that got me this life.
Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Conneticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a **** morning show did not get me this life.
Talking to some lady that deep down doesn't give a **** about what I'm doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight ass a nice raise, and I'm cool with that too, I've been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now.
I'm coming for my revenge here.
I flew an entire team to Portugal and to Iceland to make my adjustments in preparation and fix my errors I made with the weight and the cardio prep.
With the right adjustments and the right focus, I will finish what I started in that last fight.
I will not do this if I am back on the road handing out flyers again.
I will always play the game and play it better than anybody, but just for this one, where I am coming off a loss, I asked for some leeway where I can just train and focus. I did not shut down all media requests. I simply wanted a slight adjustment.
But it was denied.
There had been 10 million dollars allocated for the promotion of this event is what they told me.
So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them.
And all with one tweet.
Keep that 10 mill to promote the other bums that need it. My shows are good.
I must isolate myself now.
I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare correctly this time.
I can not dance for you this time.
It is time for the other monkeys to dance. I've danced us all the way here.
Nate's little mush head looks good up on that stage these days. Stuff him in front of the camera for it.
He came in with no shit to do that last one. I'd already done press conferences, interviews and shot the ads before RDA pulled out.
Maybe I'll hit Cabo this time and skull some shots pre-fight with no obligation.
I'm doing what I need for me now.
It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way.
I feel the $400million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway.
I am still ready to go for UFC 200.
I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions.
If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don't know what to say.
For the record also -
For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations -
I AM NOT RETIRED.

 

[Gigantic]

Respect to McGregor for his attitude in this camp, can't hate the fact he just wants to put all the antics aside and train.

I think it's a bit unfair the UFC want him to fulfil all these media obligations. While I do agree promotion work needs to be done, what the UFC are asking might be too much. Not to mention the fact that most of the other champions probably aren't obliged to be flying all over the world and doing promo work months before their fights.

That said, the sole reason he is as popular as he is today is because of the way he promoted himself which was fuelled by such promotional events, so he is basically biting the hand that fed him in a sense. Nick Diaz got pulled from a title fight a few years back for a similar thing, missed a few press conferences so at least the UFC has precedence in supporting their stance here

Nonetheless, I'm glad he came out with this statement and I respect his stance on this.

(Damn, I've been sounding like a McGregor dick rider lately. Someone snap me out of it)

 

[Dan]

Just put him back on the card.

 

[BradWCE]

I was already very much on McGregor's side and after reading this statement I'm even more so. McGregor pretty clearly says money was a part of the issue. "I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote." Then he talks about money more in later parts. Everything is about money with McGregor. Not sure why anyone would have believed money had nothing to do with it.

The UFC expect the fighters to promote themselves when it's the UFC's job. If you can promote yourself really well then they'll get behind you and promote you. Look at Demetrious Johnson. He can't promote himself, so the UFC don't put much effort into promoting him either. They're also not great at promoting non-English speakers. It took Anderson Silva a long time to become a draw in North America and the UFC lucked into it through Chael Sonnen being his opponent.

More fighters need to think like McGregor. Too many of them are happy getting what they are told they'll get. Rousey was so happy that she was the highest paid fighter. She doesn't realise that even she's underpaid based on what she brings in for them. From what I've seen the fighters' managers are pretty terrible too. That makes sense when you see Dana White's response to negotiations with Gina Carano. She's obviously got a good manager and the UFC's response is that it's way too difficult to deal with them. Holly Holm's manager must be doing a good job too because White doesn't like him.

 

[BradWCE]

Does anyone disagree that the UFC looks really stupid in all of this?

 

[phantom13]

Does anyone disagree that the UFC looks really stupid in all of this?

The only possible defense for the UFC would be knowing what they are paying him.

If it's already an absurd amount and Conor is trying to get the farm then maybe I could understand their position, otherwise Conor has simply done what was best by him.

Money talks.

 

[Ry009]

Does anyone disagree that the UFC looks really stupid in all of this?

Yep, Even Tate (or course on a much much smaller scale) has sooked about quitting and now she's the champ. I think in the end they'll give in and he'll get what he's after.

In retrospect this seems a bit more calculated and not juvenile, so more power to him.

Until Dana and Lorenzo & Co stop treating UFC like their little play toy, this stuff will always happen.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

I do think the UFC are a bunch of dicks and the treatment of some fighters like Mighty Mouse and the whole flyweight division. However I think Connor is a dick too go back to that first fight in Boston it's always been about the money, the clothes, cars and being number one don't forget red panty day.

Now all that comes at a cost now you get beaten and prob looking at a reality of another loss then a possible 3rd well fame and money comes at cost. The way you treat people does too some times it comes back to bite you in the ass.

I don't give a monkeys if he fights on UFC 200 I've seen that fight maybe both parties will learn a lesson and lose a little out of this.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

On Conor McGregor (and Tim and Suzie's terrible morning show)
http://mmajunkie.com/2016/04/on-conor-mcgregor-and-tom-and-suzies-terrible-morning-show/

 

[bkozican]

The circus is in town...This has made the UFC and Conor look pretty stupid

 

[Barry Roundhouse]

Without knowing what he was asking in terms of money to do the whole media tour the UFC had laid out for him it's hard to know if his demands were reasonable, but it seems Conor was willing to do the the main press conference for the same money and the UFC didn't even entertain that.

I understand why the UFC decided not to cave, because they believe they are bigger than any fighter and don't want to set precedents that would allow other fighters to pull similar power moves but it makes the UFC and Dana look like dictators and will hopefully bring more light to the lack of rights fighters have to the mainstream media and casual fans.

It seems the fighters have changed there stance from when this news first came out to now after Conor's statement. Ceudos statements yesterday that Conor isn't bigger than the UFC and should basically do what his told I thought was a disgrace and showed just how far away we are from a fighters association. Today there been a bit of support, hopefully it keeps coming.

 

[phantom13]

Realistically you can see both sides.

For Conor he is only as good as his last performance and at best has 5-7 years left to make his money before he becomes a footnote, he wants what he believes he deserves and so he should.

For the UFC they cant blow all their cash and special allowances on one fighter at the potential disdain from the rest of the roster

The kicker to all of this is (and i say this as a Conor fan) Conor and Dana are two extremely arrogant and stubborn pricks around so naturally any disagreement will blow up. My guess, if Conor had a good reasonable manager and the UFC had a GM or someone who was more negotiable none of this would have ever played out, or at least certainly not as publicly.

 

[NSWCROW]

Conor's statement on facebook....

I am just trying to do my job and fight here.
I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote.
I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.
There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.
50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I'm left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation. And the many distractions that led to this.
Nothing else was going through my mind.
It is time to go back and live the life that got me this life.
Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Conneticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a **** morning show did not get me this life.
Talking to some lady that deep down doesn't give a **** about what I'm doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight ass a nice raise, and I'm cool with that too, I've been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now.
I'm coming for my revenge here.
I flew an entire team to Portugal and to Iceland to make my adjustments in preparation and fix my errors I made with the weight and the cardio prep.
With the right adjustments and the right focus, I will finish what I started in that last fight.
I will not do this if I am back on the road handing out flyers again.
I will always play the game and play it better than anybody, but just for this one, where I am coming off a loss, I asked for some leeway where I can just train and focus. I did not shut down all media requests. I simply wanted a slight adjustment.
But it was denied.
There had been 10 million dollars allocated for the promotion of this event is what they told me.
So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them.
And all with one tweet.
Keep that 10 mill to promote the other bums that need it. My shows are good.
I must isolate myself now.
I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare correctly this time.
I can not dance for you this time.
It is time for the other monkeys to dance. I've danced us all the way here.
Nate's little mush head looks good up on that stage these days. Stuff him in front of the camera for it.
He came in with no shit to do that last one. I'd already done press conferences, interviews and shot the ads before RDA pulled out.
Maybe I'll hit Cabo this time and skull some shots pre-fight with no obligation.
I'm doing what I need for me now.
It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way.
I feel the $400million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway.
I am still ready to go for UFC 200.
I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions.
If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don't know what to say.
For the record also -
For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations -
I AM NOT RETIRED.

Fk outta here

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Right now is MMA media at its worst ? And how many Connor nut huggers out there cause Connor says it's not about the money it's true. His not stupid all you know about him is what he has sold you. UFC are the exactly the same.

Screw them both throw Robbie and Woodley in there and let's just have an awesome card

 

[Barry Roundhouse]

Right now is MMA media at its worst ? And how many Connor nut huggers out there cause Connor says it's not about the money it's true. His not stupid all you know about him is what he has sold you. UFC are the exactly the same.

Screw them both throw Robbie and Woodley in there and let's just have an awesome card

"I am just trying to do my job and fight here.
I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote."
- Conor McGregor

He basically said its about money. He doesn't get paid to promote fights, so he doesn't want to do it unless his paid for it.

 

[Ry009]

To be honest, why wouldn't you want him training his arse off to avoid another likely loss to Diaz?

 

[Ry009]

Listening to Dana on UFC Tonight, he sounds way too diplomatic about it all.

Maintain this is all staged so they can stack the first NY card. Put your house on Diaz/Conor 2 and Rousey Tate/Holm 2

 

[Gigantic]

Listening to Dana on UFC Tonight, he sounds way too diplomatic about it all.

Maintain this is all staged so they can stack the first NY card. Put your house on Diaz/Conor 2 and Rousey Tate/Holm 2

Makes sense considering McGregor came out and said how he is sick of fighting on the west coast and that he wants a fight on the east coast or back in Ireland.

 

[Joker91]

Dana White announces at the press conference today that McGregor will not be put back on the card. Diaz says he doesn't even want to fight at ufc 200 unless it's against McGregor.

 

[DazalenkoUBewty]

It's 3 months out from UFC 200, all the other fighters are there promoting!

Private plane in and out, but the little a-hole doesn't do it...This is for UFC 200, it's a big deal!

What a messed up situation... I'm almost starting to want Conor to just disappear...