The Conor McGregor Effect™ is real in a few different ways. For one, McGregor is injecting real cash into the pockets of fighters for once. Every man he fights gets significantly richer when they face Mystic Mac. There’s no doubt he’s brought plenty of new eyes to the sport, but that McGregor Effect™ may be the first slightly negative side-effect. New fans are never a bad thing, but it’s what some of them do that makes their actions so eye-rolling.
Long-time fan favorite Eddie Alvarez was booed and mocked with untrue facts by a Conor McGregor fan in a disrespectful display at the UFC 205 press conference. Something like that would’ve never happened in the “old days.” And before we talk about walking uphill both ways in the snow to watch our MMA PPVs, let’s just all agree that no one should disrespect a fighter like that. Especially a trailblazer like Alvarez.
The third McGregor Effect™, after the sweet pay raise and new brash fans, is the diva-ish behavior from McGregor. Something rarely seen in the brotherhood and sisterhood of fighting. Sure, bad blood is around, but not like what we’re seeing here. According to Donald Cerrone,
“It’s all an act, a big show.
‘I just tune him out, because behind the scenes he is like a scared little kid. He hides from us. When they line us all up they take Conor and put him in another room because he can’t be around other fighters because we don’t play that s***.
(He is disliked) by all. By all. He’s not one of the fellas, he’s not a good dude. But he’s done a good job of promoting the sport and a good job making money so I can’t hate him for that.”
Of course, Cerrone admitted the fact that Conor is good for the sport. That’s undeniable.
(Via Metro)
