The Savage Truth: Irish Standoff

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This little dust-up between Conor McGregor and the UFC has remained civil -- so far, anyway.

Can anyone remind me of a time when famous hothead Dana White has kept his cool when he’s been openly challenged by one of his “independent contractors” or a rival? Yeah, I didn’t think so. That alone shows how much leverage McGregor has accrued over the last couple years. The honchos over at the UFC have been forced to kill the man with kindness.

This is a company famous for going scorched earth on everyone and anyone who publicly confronts their business or their people. So why in the hell have they been so lenient in their response to McGregor?

Remember, there have been rumors of a rift between McGregor and White, as well as reports that McGregor has set up his own promotional company in hopes of going the way of Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Oscar De La Hoya. He has openly flouted the reveue numbers he’s brought in; the UFC hates to talk about dollar figures. McGregor also has grown fond of comparing his financial impact with his fellow fighters -- or “bums,” as he is wont to call them -- highlighting the chasm between his shows and the rest of the company’s talent.

These are no small offenses in UFC World, but in Conorland, they are accepted as par for the course. He gets more special treatment than any other fighter who has donned the fabled Reebok uniform, with the possible exception of Ronda Rousey.

McGregor has his own set of rules. Unfortunately for him and his millions of fans across the globe, those rules apparently don’t include a “get out of press conference free” card. While I do understand the UFC’s side here -- they don’t want the inmates running the asylum -- isn’t it a little late to be throwing down the law after you’ve allowed him to run amok for the last two years?

Like the weak parent who decides to finally put their foot down, the UFC is hard to take seriously in this stand they are making. No one is buying the “it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else” bulls--t. The way star fighters are treated has never been fair, nor should it.

This is an old-fashioned power struggle between McGregor and his UFC masters. He’s been moving in this direction for quite some time, calling them his “partners” and claiming that he “runs the show.” Anyone who has followed this company for any length of time understands those were not harmless barbs. At least, Zuffa didn’t view them as such.

McGregor wants a bigger piece of the pie than any other fighter has gotten. Zuffa, on the other hand, wants to keep him in check. If McGregor, who is rumored to have made upwards of $10 million for his last fight, can keep raising the bar, then it won’t be long before other fighters are looking to cash in, too.

Neither can UFC allow fighter to dictate promotional schedules. If McGregor is allowed to blow off press conferences, what’s to say Jon Jones or any number of top fighters decide they don’t fit into their schedules either? It is a tricky situation, but a situation of their own making.

At the end of the day, I have a hard time believing that McGregor won’t somehow find his way onto the UFC 200 card. There is just too much to lose monetarily. Also, alienating your biggest promotional asset has to be factored in as well.

I get it: White and the Fertittas do not like to be strong-armed; no one does. But they will be leaving a Lee Murray-sized bank heist on the table here if they don’t get McGregor-Diaz 2 back on the July 9 card.

Rich guys don’t usually get that way by not maximizing their opportunities. For them to walk away from this sizeable amount of money should tell you everything you need to know about how they feel about McGregor’s hardball tactics.

McGregor is still under long-term contract, so this isn’t a story that figures to go away anytime soon. Even if, or should I say when, he finally makes his way back to the Octagon, I can’t imagine the fractured relationship will ever completely heal. Hell, even if he makes it back onto the UFC 200 card, I doubt the bond they previously shared will even be close to what it had been.

It is an inevitability that “Mystic Mac” is on his way to promoting himself in one way or another, be it through McGregor Promotions or a co-promotion with the UFC or another company. I don’t think any of those options are favorable for Zuffa, and they understand he could be opening up an entirely different front in the ongoing battle between the company and their labor.

In my opinion, UFC pulling McGregor from the card stems from their fear of him garnering even more power and leverage in their ever-evolving relationship. This is the parent growing a set and finally disciplining their incorrigible child.

The only problem with that is most children who have gotten away with everything and anything for as long as they can remember don’t usually become model citizens after one time out. So, good luck with all that.

Sherdog.com Executive Editor Greg Savage can be reached by email or via Twitter @TheSavageTruth.