Conor McGregor’s impact on the UFC and MMA cannot be denied. | Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
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I’ll be honest. I’m one of the old crusty guys who have been around this sport for a long time and don’t really like to see a new kid come along and just cut the line right to the front. I’m looking at you Sage Northcutt. McGregor was one of those guys, too. I totally get the reasoning behind pushing guys with charisma, but we’ve seen this story unfold before and it doesn’t usually work out the way it has for “The Notorious” one.
For every McGregor, there is a slew of Roger Huertas, Uriah Halls, Phillipe Novers, Mike Pyles and David Terrells out there that could not quite live up to the hype that preceded them. I’m not trying to knock any of these fighters; I’m just pointing out that a whole lot of people had them destined for greatness, and despite having solid careers, for the most part anyway, they fell short or have thus far failed to live up to the hype. So pardon me for not being ready to just jump on the bandwagon every time there is a new flavor of the month.
With that said, McGregor has answered just about every question fight fans have asked. He has shown an amazing ability to captivate a worldwide audience while fighting with rarely seen efficiency and style. He has beaten everyone the Ultimate Fighting Championship has put in front of him since he signed with the promotion in early 2013. His most impressive win came at UFC 189 in July, when he dispatched perennial contender Chad Mendes to claim the interim featherweight strap.
Also on the 27-year old Irishman’s hit list are Dennis Siver, Dustin Poirier, Diego Brandao, Max Holloway and Marcus Brimage. While that isn’t exactly murderer’s row, it’s a pretty nice resume, especially when you consider how he beat each of them. None of those fighters -- they sport a collective 54-26-1 record under the Zuffa banner -- have made it to the final bell, save for Holloway, who came up on the short end of the judge’s scorecards when McGregor was forced to grit out a unanimous decision after tearing his ACL in the first round.
I’ve heard quite a bit about McGregor not being a good fighter, not being a good person because of his antics outside the cage and about how he can’t handle a wrestler. I agree with the latter, but that does not mean he won’t keep defying his doubters when he takes on Mendes after a full camp or Frankie Edgar. He has proven all his doubters, including me, wrong every time out. There has to be a point when people realize it isn’t all hype.
Enough about the played-out supposed negatives. Let’s talk about the good things this guy has said and done. Just this week, he announced he would be donating €50,000, or $56,660, to homeless charities in his native Ireland. The money he donates will provide for a mobile health clinic, as well as help for families who have been left homeless. The money is all well and good, but lending his name will bring much-needed attention to a problem that otherwise might not get the spotlight.
Now I know not everyone is going to concur with his support for same-sex marriage rights leading up to Ireland’s referendum in May, but I think everyone can agree that speaking one’s mind on a tough subject takes guts. He could have just played the politician -- not likely, right? -- and passed on answering a question that was sure to alienate one segment of his fan base, but he spoke from the heart and put his support on the record.
It’s a recurring theme with McGregor: The man does what he wants and says what he thinks, like, literally everything he thinks. I’m sure there’s quite a bit of hyperbole in a lot of what comes out of his mouth, but I don’t think he just says things for effect. He really does believe them; and guess what? People have responded to him like no other mixed martial artist before, both positively and negatively. While I understand people not liking his outspoken persona, I don’t get the vitriolic hate. The critiques of his spending habits ring especially hollow. It’s his money. If he wants to buy suits and jewelry and take care of those close to him who are you or I to give a s---?
There’s a whole lot to like about what McGregor has brought to the UFC and MMA, in general. Those still insisting he shouldn’t be viewed as an elite fighter are either blinded by their dislike for him or must have closed their eyes and thrown a temper tantrum for the past year or two. There’s nothing wrong with wanting fighters to prove they belong before we anoint them as one of the elite, but I’m here to tell you, it’s time to get with the program with McGregor. I was one of you -- I still am when it comes to Northcutt and Paige VanZant -- but McGregor has proven he belongs and has overwhelmingly shown how valuable he is to the UFC, the sport and everyone in it many times over.
It’s OK to hope he loses against Aldo in December, but it’s not OK to dismiss him as “lucky” or “entitled.” He has earned everything he has with his feet, fists and mouth. As someone who makes their living from this sport, I hope there are many more success stories like his in the pipeline. MMA is a better place with McGregor in it, and deep down, even the biggest haters know it.
Greg Savage is the executive editor of Sherdog.com and can be reached via email or on Twitter @TheSavageTruth.