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Dana White explains his theory as to why Conor McGregor is such a huge star for the sport of MMA and the Las Vegas-based promotion.

Although the UFC and its President have created some huge stars in the past like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Georges St-Pierre, Ronda Rousey, and Jon Jones, there is one person who outshines them all. That is the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion.

Dana White Explains

Once White sat down for an interview with former UFC welterweight title contender and current color commentator Dan Hardy, the UFC boss gave his theory on the biggest reason McGregor is such a huge star.

“Everybody always talks smack that I kiss Conor’s ass and all this other stuff and Conor would completely disagree with that, I think,” White told Dan Hardy via RT Sport (H/T to Bloody Elbow). “Why do you think he’s such a big star?” You think he’s such a big star because he’s funny? Yeah, that’s part of it. You think he’s such a big star because he speaks so well? Absolutely part of it. And you just keep going down the line of all these things that make him a star, but number one, first and foremost, the reason he is a global superstar and people love this guy because he’s a real fighter.”

Singing The Praise

White continues to sing the praise of McGregor never turning down fights or worrying about who he’s fighting inside of the Octagon.

“I’m the guy that makes the phone calls and here are people going ‘Yeah, I’m not gonna take that fight’ or ‘I’m not gonna do this’ or ‘I’m not gonna do that.’ Never has Conor McGregor said that.”

Fans Must Respect The King

For White, he believes that the fight fans can hate McGregor all they want but they have to respect him even after the Floyd Mayweather fight last August where he suffered a tenth-round TKO loss.

“You can hate Conor all you want; you’ve got to respect it,” White said. “And I think McGregor has gotten to a point that when he first came in, a lot of the other fighters were looking at him like ‘oh, he’s this hype train’, they see now that he’s more than that. Especially even after the Mayweather fight. Look how well he did in that fight. Conor McGregor is the real deal, man.”

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UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor had a tough time at UFC 196. Facing Nate Diaz in a short notice welterweight battle, the Irishman who’d never been defeated during his promotional run came unstuck. He unloaded some very powerful strikes in the first round, hoping to dispatch Diaz in similar fashion to his previous opponents, but he Stockton bad boy’s chin held up. Heading in to the second round the tide began to turn.

Although bloodied and at that point outstruck, Diaz came out with fire in his heart and hands. Wobbling McGregor with a number of heavy counter strikes, it wasn’t long before the grappler’s prediction came true. Hurt from a stern left hand, ‘The Notorious’ shot in for a highly uncharacteristic takedown. It was easily stuffed by Diaz, and then began the real trouble for McGregor.

Taking full advantage of his massive grappling arsenal, Diaz first took the mount and rained down with punches, before McGregor bucked and gave up his back. Within a split second the arm was well under the chin and locked tight to the other bicep, and Diaz began cutting off the blood supply to the Irish star’s brain. Before napping, ‘The Notorious’ opted to tap and madness ensued from this point onward.

Part of the insanity that’s filled the aftermath of their first fight stemmed from the near-immediate booking of the rematch. McGregor had demanded a do-over at welterweight and the promotion obliged by giving the main event spot at UFC 200 as their date to dance once again. That was a very short lived booking.

As Diaz enjoyed his new found superstar status, McGregor began spiralling towards a fight he could not win, in the form of a standoff with the UFC. Briefly retiring from MMA with a sensational Tweet, then linking himself to a rather satirical boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, ‘The Notorious’ sparked huge debate as to his future in fighting, and his motivation to continue in the UFC. All this time the featherweight belt remained in keep, albeit in an undecided holding.

Continue to page 2 for McGregor’s explanation about his retirement and problems with the UFC…

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