Midnight Mania! Conor McGregor apologizes for using homophobic slur

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Conor McGregor got into hot water a couple weekends ago at UFC: Gdansk. Not only did the referee tell him to go sit down during his teammate Artem Lobov’s fight, but afterwards he was recording referring to Andre Fili as a “faggot” several times. The UFC quickly took the video down after posting it on their official channel. It created something of a furor; McGregor was attempting to console his teammate after a loss, but when his use of a homophobic slur was reported on, those who reported it experienced a backlash as McGregor fans rushed in to support their fighter. Andre Fili didn’t appreciate the insult, calling McGregor “fake” for being nice to his face then calling him that behind closed doors.

McGregor took the opportunity in a recent interview to apologize. He didn’t offer much in the way of an explanation besides the fact that it was an emotional moment, and recounted the bond he has with his training partner and friend Artem Lobov. He said he wasn’t using the word in reference to gay people, and reminded us that when gay marriage was up for legalization in Ireland he used his platform to publicly support it, along with all of Straight Blast Gym in Ireland.

I witnessed him lose a fight in a manner that- and a potential career defining or career ending fight, in a manner where the opponent was stalling or running away, and I was upset. And I was whispering in his ear, and I was speaking on that, and I said what I said, and I meant no disrespect to nobody of any- the LGBT community… its rare I was talking about or screaming about two people of the same sex kissing. I campaigned, when we were trying to get same sex marriage legalized, I was campaigning for that. Again, its another one where things just get blown out, and they love to just- any chance they get, they love to throw me under the bus. It is what it is, I have to just say sorry for what I said, and that’s it, and try and move on from it.

We tend to hold our athletes, particularly those with the reach of McGregor, to higher standards these days. This was hardly McGregor’s first time saying something offensive; at times during the McGregor-Mayweather buildup, he got pretty racist (although he never referred to African Americans as “monkeys”, contrary to reports). He seemed to understand that those comments weren’t okay, saying they “didn’t really hit right”, but also understood that once said in public, one can’t really take one’s words back. While it is not my place, as someone not part of the LGBTQ community, to pass judgement on McGregor one way or the other in this instance, apologizing seems like the right step for him to take. Hopefully all of us (including McGregor) can move on with lessons learned.


Spooky Insomnia

It seems a lot of folks out there, including fighters, are celebrating Halloween. Who would have thought.

A post shared by Mikebisping (@mikebisping) on Oct 31, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

That’s pretty good

I’m looking to get all the Harley Quinn’s with this costume

A post shared by BJJ MMA BOXING MUAYTHAI JUDO (@thestranglesquad) on Oct 31, 2017 at 7:19am PDT

GGG

With my new sparring partner Happy Halloween everyone!

A post shared by Gennady Golovkin | GGG (@gggboxing) on Oct 31, 2017 at 1:43pm PDT

Eddie Alvarez and family

Happy Halloween !!! #AlvarezHalloween #wellwellwell #goneagain#yourjokinmeyougottabe

A post shared by Eddie Alvarez (@ealvarezfight) on Oct 31, 2017 at 2:23pm PDT

Ed Herman is walking like an Egyptian

Al Iaquinta got into Kajan Johnson’s DMs… then blocked him again.

Spooky Dan Henderson

This Mummy is becoming a mommy again in June 2018. Something’s still alive in me #babyhendo #stronglikebull

A post shared by Dan Henderson (@danhendo) on Oct 31, 2017 at 8:03pm PDT

Then there’s Daniel Cormier, out here watching sports instead

Should we all just start calling fights like this lol. My goodness! This guy is a G!

A post shared by Daniel “DC” Cormier (@dc_mma) on Oct 31, 2017 at 2:52pm PDT

Kristine Nite doing Halloween pad drills

Give it all you got w/ coach @mkomuro : @dannytenagliaofficial #happyhalloween #rawr #muaythai

A post shared by Kristine Nite (@hellokcdoll) on Oct 31, 2017 at 1:26pm PDT

Pretty much

Who wins?

A post shared by As Shopped As It Gets (@as_shopped_as_it_gets_) on Oct 31, 2017 at 2:09pm PDT

Jorge Masvidal has got jokes about Colby Covington’s Brazil insults

pic.twitter.com/z0HXbFyyAQ

— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) October 31, 2017


Slips, Rips, and KO Clips

That’s a scary knockout

pic.twitter.com/RxcO6L0pXL

— Streetfight Bancho (@streetfitebanch) June 20, 2017

Another old and good one

George Foreman vs Ron Lyle, 1976. Fight of the Year and Rounds 4 & 5 were joint Round of the Year – the only time 2 rounds awarded the title pic.twitter.com/2jhE9ILsZc

— KO Kings (@KOKINGS4) October 29, 2017


Podcasts and Audio

Kamaru Usman is angling for a bout with Colby Covington and I’m all for it.

.@USMAN84kg adamant a potential bout with @ColbyCovMMA has to happen #TLTS @lthomasnews https://t.co/prCAqCIyWl

— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) October 31, 2017


Random Land

Remember that little kid that knew alot about airplanes…

Best video i’ve seen today. pic.twitter.com/14tkBsqox0

— Nife Oluyemi (@nifeoluyemi) October 30, 2017

Stay woke, Maniacs! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality

Stay woke, Maniacs!

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Conor McGregor got into hot water a couple weekends ago at UFC: Gdansk. Not only did the referee tell him to go sit down during his teammate Artem Lobov’s fight, but afterwards he was recording referring to Andre Fili as a “faggot” several times. The UFC quickly took the video down after posting it on their official channel. It created something of a furor; McGregor was attempting to console his teammate after a loss, but when his use of a homophobic slur was reported on, those who reported it experienced a backlash as McGregor fans rushed in to support their fighter. Andre Fili didn’t appreciate the insult, calling McGregor “fake” for being nice to his face then calling him that behind closed doors.

McGregor took the opportunity in a recent interview to apologize. He didn’t offer much in the way of an explanation besides the fact that it was an emotional moment, and recounted the bond he has with his training partner and friend Artem Lobov. He said he wasn’t using the word in reference to gay people, and reminded us that when gay marriage was up for legalization in Ireland he used his platform to publicly support it, along with all of Straight Blast Gym in Ireland.

I witnessed him lose a fight in a manner that- and a potential career defining or career ending fight, in a manner where the opponent was stalling or running away, and I was upset. And I was whispering in his ear, and I was speaking on that, and I said what I said, and I meant no disrespect to nobody of any- the LGBT community… its rare I was talking about or screaming about two people of the same sex kissing. I campaigned, when we were trying to get same sex marriage legalized, I was campaigning for that. Again, its another one where things just get blown out, and they love to just- any chance they get, they love to throw me under the bus. It is what it is, I have to just say sorry for what I said, and that’s it, and try and move on from it.

We tend to hold our athletes, particularly those with the reach of McGregor, to higher standards these days. This was hardly McGregor’s first time saying something offensive; at times during the McGregor-Mayweather buildup, he got pretty racist (although he never referred to African Americans as “monkeys”, contrary to reports). He seemed to understand that those comments weren’t okay, saying they “didn’t really hit right”, but also understood that once said in public, one can’t really take one’s words back. While it is not my place, as someone not part of the LGBTQ community, to pass judgement on McGregor one way or the other in this instance, apologizing seems like the right step for him to take. Hopefully all of us (including McGregor) can move on with lessons learned.


Spooky Insomnia

It seems a lot of folks out there, including fighters, are celebrating Halloween. Who would have thought.

A post shared by Mikebisping (@mikebisping) on

That’s pretty good

I’m looking to get all the Harley Quinn’s with this costume

A post shared by BJJ MMA BOXING MUAYTHAI JUDO (@thestranglesquad) on

GGG

With my new sparring partner Happy Halloween everyone!

A post shared by Gennady Golovkin | GGG (@gggboxing) on

Eddie Alvarez and family

Happy Halloween !!! #AlvarezHalloween #wellwellwell #goneagain#yourjokinmeyougottabe

A post shared by Eddie Alvarez (@ealvarezfight) on

Ed Herman is walking like an Egyptian

Al Iaquinta got into Kajan Johnson’s DMs… then blocked him again.

Spooky Dan Henderson

This Mummy is becoming a mommy again in June 2018. Something’s still alive in me #babyhendo #stronglikebull

A post shared by Dan Henderson (@danhendo) on

Then there’s Daniel Cormier, out here watching sports instead

Should we all just start calling fights like this lol. My goodness! This guy is a G!

A post shared by Daniel “DC” Cormier (@dc_mma) on

Kristine Nite doing Halloween pad drills

Give it all you got w/ coach @mkomuro : @dannytenagliaofficial #happyhalloween #rawr #muaythai

A post shared by Kristine Nite (@hellokcdoll) on

Pretty much

Who wins?

A post shared by As Shopped As It Gets (@as_shopped_as_it_gets_) on

Jorge Masvidal has got jokes about Colby Covington’s Brazil insults


Slips, Rips, and KO Clips

That’s a scary knockout

Another old and good one


Podcasts and Audio

Kamaru Usman is angling for a bout with Colby Covington and I’m all for it.


Random Land

Stay woke, Maniacs! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality

Stay woke, Maniacs!