Throughout history, the fight game has always had ‘colourful characters’ who have talked the talk in an effort to self promote and/or hype up a pending contest. But have we started to put hype above skill?
Have we actually started to value talking the talk above walking the walk?
In an era where MMA (and by extension the UFC) has never been bigger, the ability to ‘sell’ fights, put bums on seats and rack up pay-per-view sales has never been more important. It’s a business and the fighters have become commodities.
Right now the buzz around the UFC’s featherweight division is all about the brash Irish bloke who is on a tear – Connor McGregor.
To be honest, the buzz has transcended a humming sound and is at alarm screeching proportions. As in possible title-fight proportions.
The outspoken pugilist has become must-see TV (something the UFC loves) and has punched and talked his way into a possible shot at Jose Aldo’s belt in the near future.
But he shouldn’t be next in line.
Yes, he can fight (just ask ‘Diamond’ Dustin Poirier, who McGregor handled with ease). Yes, he can talk (he’s a promoter’s proverbial wet dream). Yes, he puts bums on seats (and sells PPVs).
But does that mean that he’s next in line? No way. Has he earned a title shot through his actions? Not yet.
‘The Notorious’ one has an impressive record on paper (16 wins, 2 losses) and hasn’t been beaten since 2010, but his victories haven’t been over a “who’s who” of MMA.
His recent step-up in competition has seen him record some impressive victories over Poirier, Diego Brando and Max Holloway, and as a result he is now the number five ranked featherweight in the UFC. But that means that there are some guys ahead of him in the queue for a shot at Aldo and the belt.
You cannot deny that McGregor is entertaining, and like Chael P Sonnen before him, he makes for great headlines, but number two ranked Cub Swanson says he was promised a title shot by Dana White and he’s currently set to take on number three ranked Frankie Edgar (the man everyone seems to have forgotten about).
For his part, McGregor believes that Swanson’s title shot won’t eventuate. Not surprisingly, that has nothing to do with what the result of Swanson’s fight with ‘The Answer’, rather Conor thinks that the UFC simply have to give him the Aldo match-up.
“I believe he’s been promised (a shot),” McGregor said. “(Dana) looked him dead in the eye and said ‘Cub, I promise you beat this man and you have a title shot.’
“They looked him dead in the eye, so even if he wins and they still don’t give him the title shot, I want to be there when they tell him – ‘No, I’m sorry. Remember that promise we promised you, where we looked you dead in the eyes? It was all lies.’”
It’s not just Swanson that McGregor has potted in the featherweight division, in fact he’s taken pot shots at just about every fighter around him.
Ricardo Lamas he called a pussy and said that he ran for five rounds in his match-up with Aldo. Dennis Siver (his next opponent) he called deformed as a result of his previous steroid use, and then crossed the line (well and truly) when he referred to him as a Nazi. Cub he referred to as old. The champ (and one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet) he said “plays it safe”.
McGregor takes on Siver in January, a fight that could see him continue to climb the rankings and ultimately earn his shot at the title.
His fellow fighters aren’t impressed, Lamas for one thinks that McGregor is simply Sonnen mark two, saying, “The guy isn’t original. I think he sits and watches other fighters and takes notes on what they say and then just regurgitates it.”
Remember though, Sonnen did manage to secure a couple of cracks at Anderson Silva and his title – deserved or not.
It’s a new era in sports, with athletes able to interact with fans via social media, and those savvy enough to use that to their advantage can self promote more than ever before.
But while times change, some things stay the same. Fighters talk the talk, but they need to walk the walk.
McGregor sure can talk it, but he has more walking to do before he runs.
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