It was an obvious bluff. No one familiar with UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor actually believed him last week when he said he was retiring at 27-years-old.
From the moment he made this announcement via Twitter it smacked of a clumsy power move by the Irishman who has become the face of the UFC.
I am a gigantic McGregor fan. My parents are Irish and I now live half the year in the Emerald Isle, yet not for a moment did I panic that I had seen the back of my all-time favourite fighter.
An athlete with his astounding level of drive, focus, confidence and ambition does not retire on a whim before he even enters his prime. McGregor may call it ‘The Fight Game’ but those who have followed his career closely recognise that MMA is the furthest thing from a game to him – it is an obsession.
I have decided to retire young.
Thanks for the cheese.
Catch ya's later.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 19, 2016
With his bluster and braggadocio he sketches an image of a man whose sole focus is money and fame, like some two-bit gangster rapper who’d rather be on a yacht ensconced in female body parts than banging out a sixteen in the studio. This is Conor McGregor the cartoon character, the pantomime villain, the Million Dollar Man.
To get the fuller picture, listen to his complete interviews – not just the searing soundbites picked up by the media. Watch the six-part documentary, The Notorious, filmed by Irish broadcaster RTE in 2014 which followed his climb through the UFC ranks.
Do this and you’ll see beyond the façade, past the two dimensions to a nuanced human being, one with humility and deep respect for the sport. This well-rounded individual appears more focused on making his family proud – and comfortable financially – than on being worshipped by fans and showered in dollars.
In these moments, the ones which are far less publicised than his brazen big-noting, McGregor reveals himself to be a likeable and admirable person. His intense love for his family, friends and those in his fight camp is plain to see – he never attempts to conceal this emotion despite his public alpha male persona.
When he was winning his way towards the belt who was standing next to him in the Octagon after each and every victory? It was his family and his longtime girlfriend Dee Devlin.
Consider that, amid his hypersonic rise to the crest of the MMA wave, McGregor has remained side-by-side with the girlfriend he has had since he was fresh out of high school. Over and again he has credited Devlin with being a major inspiration and guiding force in his sporting career. Despite having the Irish and UK tabloid press documenting his every step and utterance, waiting to prey upon a mistake, never has there been evidence of him stepping out on his lady.
This is further proof of what appears to be one of McGregor’s greatest attributes – loyalty. Long he has spoken of being true to not just those around him but also to his fans and his nation.
These have not been hollow words, as he has gone out of his way repeatedly to honour his fans, and shows fierce pride in his Irishness, maintaining the country as his base. A few months ago he donated $75,000 to help Ireland’s homeless, just the latest among a string of charitable efforts in the past two years.
These things do not go unnoticed by his most ardent supporters, just as they too recognise the full depth of his personality.
The problem for McGregor is that the majority of people see only his mainstream media representation. Some laugh and cheer as he insults opponents and talks lustfully about his ever-growing mound of cash. Many others, though, respond by cringing or sneering or jeering.
In his home country, it appears as if there is an increasing number of people in the second camp. The Irish are not used to their athletes being arrogant. While soccer is very popular, and great pride is taken in the successes of the national rugby team, it is the Gaelic games hurling and football which remain the heart of Irish sports.
These homegrown sports are played by amateurs. Despite the giant crowds that wedge into Dublin’s Croke Park, the blanket TV coverage and extensive advertising of the games, the superstars of each sport are just ordinary blokes holding down day jobs.
This humility is reflected in their on-field behaviour and interviews. Gaelic athletes mostly are unpretentious. In this way Irish sport is far removed from the razzamatazz of the US, where many players dance for the cameras, taunt each other in the media, and generally act like oversized children.
Such behaviour is foreign to Irish sports fans and so is not tolerated. It is no surprise then that McGregor is disliked by so many of his countrymen. After his surprise loss to Nate Diaz, the comments sections of Irish news websites were swamped with Irish people reveling in his defeat. Almost every such comment suggested it was a comeuppance for McGregor’s cocky and disrespectful actions.
Yet in the wake of his loss McGregor was unerringly courteous. He gave credit to Diaz and reflected on the manner in which he had got ahead of himself in the fight. A lot of Irish fans either didn’t read or ignored his comments though, too joyfully engaged in schadenfreude.
McGregor’s thoughtful reaction to his setback was evidence that he was maintaining a level head, that he had not become too big for his boots. But then came his refusal to do press for his Diaz rematch at UFC 200 and his subsequent “retirement” this week.
Immediately it appeared to be a heavy-handed attempt at gaining further leverage over the UFC bosses. UFC President Dana White has given McGregor an almost unprecedented amount of leeway due to the Irishman’s astonishing pulling power. Most recently he let McGregor bulldoze his way to a re-match with Diaz at 170 pounds when everyone, including his own coach, was advising against it.
In refusing to promote UFC 200, did McGregor start to believe that he could boss the UFC completely? His retirement bluff was called by White, forcing McGregor into an embarrassing backflip.
You see, White is an alpha male with such a hot head that he compulsively fights with trolls on social media. He’s a man known to hold grudges, with a history of turning viciously on previously valuable assets who piss him off. There is a long list of former UFC fighters, including champions, with whom White has past or ongoing feuds.
This is not solely the result of White’s obvious quick temper but also a hallmark of his generous ego. No administrator in any global sport places themselves in the limelight half as much as White, who constantly fronts UFC press conferences, takes part in promo shoots and features in the company’s relative TV shows. He is more famous than any of the UFC’s current champions, McGregor aside.
The Irishman needs to be very careful in challenging White’s pride. He has come off second-best this time. Just as importantly, McGregor’s fake retirement sat poorly with his fans, those who defend him against the barrage of hate generated by his Million Dollar Man character.
Choose your next move wisely Champ. We’ve still got your back, but don’t test the patience of White or us, your avid fans.
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