The downfall of Conor McGregor

[Eleazar]

The downfall of Conor McGregor


http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2018%2F0406%2Fr352345_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=540


Conor McGregor faces a new reality after his arrest



At their essence, combat sports are a form of reality programming, which is to say, not as unscripted as we might hope. Hence, there's this persistently preposterous presumption that Dana White isn't merely exploiting the arrest of Conor McGregor but in some unseen way has executive produced it.

If you believe that's the case, perhaps your mind has been corrupted and dulled by decades of housewives and Jersey Shore kids and, of course, that most cynical of reality shows, presidential politics. Yes, if McGregor ever fights again -- a big if at this point -- this narrative will inevitably become part of The Sell. Question is, who really drives that: the promoter or the consumer? It's like arguing that Don King orchestrated the arrest and incarceration of Mike Tyson. I listened to that crap years ago. Now, as then, my response: You've lost the ability to discern reality from artifice, hype from authenticity. In this case, the truth is only what it appeared at first blush.

Conor McGregor was in jail thanks to the actions of one man only, Conor McGregor. I use the term "man" advisedly here, as the McGregor in the video of him smashing the windows of a bus seems to have reverted to his adolescent self, the hoodlum he was back in Crumlin, Ireland.

From the looks of it, the same preening adolescent vanity that helped make him the most interesting fighter in the world (however you want to parse that distinction -- MMA, boxing, whatever) has now taken full possession of his soul.

It's to McGregor's everlasting shame that Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg will not be able to compete Saturday night because of facial lacerations and corneal abrasions, respectively, from the shattered glass.

Still, it obscures another monumental dishonor, this one self-inflicted, and perhaps altering the course of MMA. Way back when, when McGregor was still an actual fighter, he didn't sound like anyone else, what with that hip-hop brogue. More important, he didn't fight like anyone else. Again, boxing, MMA, the distinction doesn't matter much. There are universal principles to combat, and to appreciate them was to recognize his beauty as a fighter: the way he controlled distance, his ability to inflict a savage counter, the power in his left hand, the limber, bounding aggression.

His combat style seemed sui generis, like the best years of Manny Pacquiao or, yes, Muhammad Ali. As fluent as he was in provocation, McGregor was better in the Octagon. In a rapidly evolving sport, he was to be MMA's Babe Ruth.

And now what? He looks like a soccer hooligan.

I happened to be all for his fight with Floyd Mayweather. It falls into the grandest of all American traditions, both the hustle and the hype. And whether you believe that Mayweather carried him, or that he distinguished himself admirably, it wasn't a real fight for McGregor. It was a great score, God bless. But for McGregor, it was also a riskless proposition. In point of fact, he hasn't had a real fight since Nov. 12, 2016.

He'll be 30 in a matter of months. By comparison, Mayweather -- forever criticized as a risk-averse fighter -- had beaten Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo (twice), Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah by the time he was 30. A few months after his birthday, he beat Oscar De La Hoya.

Hype and hustle are fine. But McGregor has ceased to operate as a fighter. He's an Instagram account.

It's worth noting what Dana White said on Get Up! this morning -- that he'd been redoing McGregor's deal. In other words, after 500 or so days, the possibility of an actual fight, with actual risk, was becoming real.

My teenage self understands what happened here. Khabib Nurmagomedov's crew apparently ganged up on one of McGregor's crew. So McGregor flew across the pond to make sure the world knew he was man enough to throw a large metal object into the window of a bus.

"I am laughing inside," Nurmagomedov told MMA Fighting. "You broke window? Why? Come inside. ... If you real gangster, why don't you come inside?"

If nothing else, this episode proves that McGregor has lost his edge as a provocateur. A gifted stage manager lost control of the scene, and in the process a part of him was exposed. Nurmagomedov's question, rephrased: Does McGregor want to fight or merely perform?

The answer seems clear: When confronted with reality, he went reality TV.

http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/23051357/after-arrest-conor-mcgregor-faces-new-reality

[Simply Red]

that was the hardest god damned read I've ever gone through - did the writer pop tide pods before putting this on paper?

[BigRedChief]

He threw something through a window? An MMA fighter? He’s finished? No way.

[Fish]

McGregor is a total fucking douche. He has no one to blame but himself. After trashing the place when he wasn't supposed to be there, he then tried to board a bus full of UFC contestants and couldn't, so he threw a metal dolly at the bus, breaking a bunch of windows and cutting up a bunch of the fighters scheduled to fight. They had to bring an alternate fighter in with only 24hrs notice just to prevent cancelling the main card fight because of his bullshit. Fuck that antagonistic douche. He's done. The sport will be better for it, regardless of how well he fought.

[-King-]

McGregor is a total fucking douche. He has no one to blame but himself. After trashing the place when he wasn't supposed to be there, he then tried to board a bus full of UFC contestants and couldn't, so he threw a metal dolly at the bus, breaking a bunch of windows and cutting up a bunch of the fighters scheduled to fight. They had to bring an alternate fighter in with only 24hrs notice just to prevent cancelling the main card fight because of his bullshit. Fuck that antagonistic douche. He's done. The sport will be better for it, regardless of how well he fought.

Lol Dana would suck Conor's dick if it meant Conor would fight for UFC again. He's far from done.
Posted via Mobile Device

[KC_Connection]

Seems staged to me. I expect he’ll be fighting in UFC in under a year.

[Fish]

Lol Dana would suck Conor's dick if it meant Conor would fight for UFC again. He's far from done.
Posted via Mobile Device

Riiiiiiiiiiight....

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[vailpass]

WWE

[kcxiv]

He threw something through a window? An MMA fighter? He’s finished? No way.

way more then that, crashed the UFC presser, guys got hurt to the point of they had to drop out of the fight because of them throwing shit and the other dudes getting hit. There is also pictures of Connor partying with cocaine all over the place. Word has it dudes a fucking coke head, but who knows.

[Otter]

Seems staged to me. I expect he’ll be fighting in UFC in under a year.

That wasn't staged. MMA fighters almost lost eyes and money was lost.

[Otter]

way more then that, crashed the UFC presser, guys got hurt to the point of they had to drop out of the fight because of them throwing shit and the other dudes getting hit. There is also pictures of Connor partying with cocaine all over the place. Word has it dudes a fucking coke head, but who knows.

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/6d/6da082fbfafcf593d64799e9da4e11b4df2899b7459116a78e650d8b377a421f.jpg

[Fish]

He pretty much single handedly ruined any success for UFC 223 with his actions. He'll be stripped of his championship belt before it's all said and done. The douche is fucking done, guaranteed. Good riddance.

[PunkinDrublic]

Should’ve beat up his girlfriend. The UFC has a higher tolerance for that.

[BigRedChief]

way more then that, crashed the UFC presser, guys got hurt to the point of they had to drop out of the fight because of them throwing shit and the other dudes getting hit. There is also pictures of Connor partying with cocaine all over the place. Word has it dudes a fucking coke head, but who knows.Im not into MMA. Not up to speed on the norms. Watched his boxing match. That’s about it. A lot of that stuff you posted sounds like staged hijinks at press weigh in’s thats been going on for generations.

These guys are paid to beat the fuck out of each other. Kick and bash people’s brains in. You and others pay your hard earned money to watch it, i understand you don’t want people cheating with performance enhancing drugs. You want to see a fair fight. but, Why would anyone care if they do coke?

[BryanBusby]

LMAO if you think they're gonna permaban him

If there's money to be made, they'll bring the dude back. They don't have enough name draws to keep casuals coming, which he would bring.

Just remember: Controversy creates cash and even your grown up WWE is a business first.

[Otter]

It's going to be red panties night for the lawyers of the people in that bus and surrounding area. McGregor is reported to have a net worth of $34 million and everyone is going to want a piece of that chunk of change.

Conor just made it rain for a whole bunch of strangers. The FedEx guy caught in the middle of that is going be claiming mental distress for $10k.

[-King-]

Riiiiiiiiiiight....

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Yeah and Dana is not going to let the biggest draw in the UFC BY FAR(still an understatement)not fight. He'll swallow his pride just like Dan Gilbert swallowed his pride when LeBron wanted to come back to Cleveland.
Posted via Mobile Device

[-King-]

LMAO if you think they're gonna permaban him

If there's money to be made, they'll bring the dude back. They don't have enough name draws to keep casuals coming, which he would bring.

Just remember: Controversy creates cash and even your grown up WWE is a business first.
Exactly. There is no one even close to being as big of a draw as Conor. They aren't going to turn down the tens of millions he brings just to make a point.
Posted via Mobile Device

[kcxiv]

Im not into MMA. Not up to speed on the norms. Watched his boxing match. That’s about it. A lot of that stuff you posted sounds like staged hijinks at press weigh in’s thats been going on for generations.

These guys are paid to beat the **** out of each other. Kick and bash people’s brains in. You and others pay your hard earned money to watch it, i understand you don’t want people cheating with performance enhancing drugs. You want to see a fair fight. but, Why would anyone care if they do coke?

my point was, it was not staged, Dana as a UFC president does not want to have 3 of his fights completely fall through because of this. People got hurt to the point of the Nevada state commission said they couldn't fight. The dude has fucking issues, anyone that has followed anything he has done can figure that out. Also i dont know if you ever done any hardcore drugs or know anyone that has done any. I been on both sides, that shit makes you a different person. Its not the point of caring if he does coke its that coke when spun out on the fucking drugs can make people do some insane shit.

I wouldnt doubt if New York makes an example out of him and gives him some decent time in jail. Remember they didnt allow MMA in the State of NY for a long long time.

[Nickhead]

WWE

i got thru blah, blah, blah, and blah, blah-blah, and was done :thumb: :D

[Eleazar]

Obviously he's not done. He's going to become a great boxer!

[Chiefs=Champions]

He pretty much single handedly ruined any success for UFC 223 with his actions. He'll be stripped of his championship belt before it's all said and done. The douche is ****ing done, guaranteed. Good riddance.

He was already stripped essentially. And there is absolutely no way that he wont be back.

[BigRedChief]

Also i dont know if you ever done any hardcore drugs or know anyone that has done any. I been on both sides, that shit makes you a different person. Its not the point of caring if he does coke its that coke when spun out on the fucking drugs can make people do some insane shit.
Yes, until age 25 I did a lot. But, it was mainly alcohol and weed. I had anger issues too. I'd fight just because I wanted too. So yes, I know personally how you could not give a shit about consequences and fuck someone up.

I'm a large man. I had years of martial arts training. But, my skills were not anywhere near the same stratosphere of his. I'm lucky I didn't kill someone or get myself killed. A man with his high level of skills could kill someone very easily in a fit of anger.

[keg in kc]

He's just looking to diversify. First it was boxing, now getting tossed in jail is the first step towards his future as a wide receiver.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

he could at least save his money in jail.

[stumppy]

He's just looking to diversify. First it was boxing, now getting tossed in jail is the first step towards his future as a Denver Broncos wide receiver.

FYP

[Buehler445]

FYP

Fuck Donk Forever.

[TimBone]

Whoever wrote that article went out of their way to use a bunch of fancy words. Very annoying.

[jd1020]

They'll bring him back to let his head get bashed in by Khabib and then fire him.

[The Franchise]

He pretty much single handedly ruined any success for UFC 223 with his actions. He'll be stripped of his championship belt before it's all said and done. The douche is fucking done, guaranteed. Good riddance.

I thought they already stripped him of it.

[-King-]

Whoever wrote that article went out of their way to use a bunch of fancy words. Very annoying.

Serendipitously.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rausch]

He learned from Floyd.

He knows that while this might take him a step back it builds the PPV in 2 years...

[Mecca]

McGregor is a total fucking douche. He has no one to blame but himself. After trashing the place when he wasn't supposed to be there, he then tried to board a bus full of UFC contestants and couldn't, so he threw a metal dolly at the bus, breaking a bunch of windows and cutting up a bunch of the fighters scheduled to fight. They had to bring an alternate fighter in with only 24hrs notice just to prevent cancelling the main card fight because of his bullshit. Fuck that antagonistic douche. He's done. The sport will be better for it, regardless of how well he fought.

McGregor had nothing to do with their main event falling through. UFC shouldn't ask a guy 30lbs overweight to make weight in 5 days.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rausch]

McGregor had nothing to do with their main event falling through. UFC shouldn't ask a guy 30lbs overweight to make weight in 5 days.
Posted via Mobile Device

It happens...

[hometeam]

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Oh-My-God-Who-The-Hell-Cares-Gif-On-Family-Guy.gif

[Rausch]

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Oh-My-God-Who-The-Hell-Cares-Gif-On-Family-Guy.gif

This...

['Hamas' Jenkins]

He'll make more money than ever by doing this, just like Tyson did post prison.

[vailpass]

LMAO if you think they're gonna permaban him

If there's money to be made, they'll bring the dude back. They don't have enough name draws to keep casuals coming, which he would bring.

Just remember: Controversy creates cash and even your grown up WWE is a business first.

This. Runt Irishman coming off defeat at hands of 100 year old boxer needs to invigorate his brand. Needs to figure out a way to keep the ppv momentum going at the highest level. Suddenly in the news again, next PPV event will now attract buyers outside of the core MMA segment.

[Urc Burry]

Feels like a publicity stunt gone wrong.. mcgregor needs to keep his shit together tho.

That being said there is no doubt mcgregor himself is bigger than the UFC. His next fight could be against me and it would be the most bought PPV ever for the ufc. Dana secretly loves this

[dlphg9]

that was the hardest god damned read I've ever gone through - did the writer pop tide pods before putting this on paper?

Completely agree. Couldn't even finish the damn thing. That was awful

[Spott]

Meh, that whole sport is pretty douchey.

[Beef Supreme]

that was the hardest god damned read I've ever gone through - did the writer pop tide pods before putting this on paper?

He sure seems to like jerking off to his vocabulary. Not that he used difficult words so much, just that it came off pretentious as fuck. It's an mma article, not the great Gatsby douchebag.

[bdj23]

He'll make more money than ever by doing this, just like Tyson did post prison.

This tbh

[Passepartout]

Indeed he is a nutcase. When he did that to the bus, it was like "Do you know who I am?!" Kind of moment!

[KCTitus]

UFC need Connor more than Connor needs UFC, unless the UFC is going to become nothing but a vagina league.

[MahiMike]

Just your run of the mill crazy Irish men

[jjjayb]

Riiiiiiiiiiight....

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And he never answered the question, "Is he going to be fired?"

[Pants]

Uncle Dana, in his evil genius, went juuuuuust far enough in his Conor McGregor promotion plan. Perfect execution.

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[Valiant]

my point was, it was not staged, Dana as a UFC president does not want to have 3 of his fights completely fall through because of this. People got hurt to the point of the Nevada state commission said they couldn't fight. The dude has ****ing issues, anyone that has followed anything he has done can figure that out. Also i dont know if you ever done any hardcore drugs or know anyone that has done any. I been on both sides, that shit makes you a different person. Its not the point of caring if he does coke its that coke when spun out on the ****ing drugs can make people do some insane shit.

I wouldnt doubt if New York makes an example out of him and gives him some decent time in jail. Remember they didnt allow MMA in the State of NY for a long long time.

It was staged for him to be there. He just went off script and threw the hand cart and injuring the fighters.

They will sue, but thankfully it shouldn't be much as UFC criminally underpays them unless they are done for good.

[WhiteWhale]

Seems staged to me. I expect he’ll be fighting in UFC in under a year.

If it's staged it would make the UFC liable for damages as much if not more than Conor. Not to mention what he did was extremely dangerous. The UFC isn't going to put their own fighters in danger the day before an event to hype a guy who hasn't fought in well over a year.

The police are involved here. Do you understand what a disaster it would be for the UFC to be behind this?

[WhiteWhale]

He'll make more money than ever by doing this, just like Tyson did post prison.

If they book him against Khabib it will be the biggest event in UFC history.

Conor has either lost his mind, or is VERY committed to hyping up his events.

[AssEaterChief]

UFC/MMA existed before this guy and will continue to do well without him..

Fuck all this nonsense about him being "bigger than the sport"

[Fish]

Up to 7 years in prison. UFC punishment after court case.

DANA WHITE
WE'LL PUNISH CONOR AFTER NYC COURT
(http://www.tmz.com/2018/04/30/dana-white-conor-mcgregor-ufc/)
TMZSports.com

Dana White says the UFC will not mete out punishment for Conor McGregor's bus attack until AFTER the New York City judge issues a ruling ... which means it could take a while.

McGregor isn't due back in court until June 14 -- and Dana tells TMZ Sports he's very interested in how the law treats the Irish superstar.

McGregor is reportedly facing up to 7 years in prison for the April 5 attack in which he threw a dolly at a UFC bus, shattering glass and injuring several UFC fighters.

"He's gotta be punished by the law first," White says ... "Let's see what happens in New York."