MMA SQUARED: McGregor taught the world that charisma matters more than anything

Chris Rini

When Conor McGregor became the first double champ of the UFC, he also buried the Underground King for good.

Chris Rini

I always wanted to make an elaborate piece that mimicked stained glass, which would feature Conor McGregor holding two belts atop the octagon while in a lower panel Eddie Alvarez slumps in a throne with his various championship belts piled on top of each other. The intended message was to be that McGregor’s two belts attained such accolades while Alvarez’s arguably more storied career is passed over because he is outshined by McGregor’s star power (those dangling things were supposed to be roots).

As each day ticks by, McGregor’s star dims a bit more. He hasn’t won a fight in three years and his reputation, while not shattered, hinges on beating some heinous charges. I’ll have to wait until the dust settles to see what the real story is, how each man will be remembered and how their legacies hold up to the test of time before trying to tell any kind of artistic story.

Take care of yourself and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Chris