Conor McGregor is very interesting figure. For many MMA fans he did not make his mark through a display of outstanding highlight reels, he made it by the powerful bellow of his voice. There isn’t a moment when McGregor is in front of a media outlet, be that a microphone, camera or even his opponent, where he isn’t exercising the use of his vocabulary.
It seems that for a lot of fans, this sort of presence is incredibly overbearing – I know for myself it is. I’ve watched McGregor closely since he came into my eyesight and have been dually impressed by his marketability and performances. The moment for me was when I realized how mentally bound he made Dustin Poirer prior to their fight at UFC 178. McGregor won that fight before he even stepped into the Octagon (this comes from a Poirer fan by the way). So for me his inflation his has not come solely based off his performances, it has come from his ability to out wit his opponents.
The Irishman has known that as his fighting career unfolds it would eventually bring him to the UFC. And if McGregor is as clever as I believe he is, he knows exactly what that promotion needs and desires. Whether the UFC wanted a deeply proud and boisterous Irish fighter is not necessarily in question – but they absolutely needed a voice. Despite the fact that McGregor’s odyssey only began in the UFC about a year ago, his accelerated climb into contention was always apart of the plan.
Current bantamweight champion TJ Dilishaw undermines the Irishman’s insertion as #1 contender – yet many others feel like he deserves it. On the common basis that the promotion is still a form of entertainment, perhaps McGregor has earned a title shot. As it’s been said before, the late Chael Sonnon executed his rivalry with Anderson Silva in a similar way – perhaps the same is being done with McGregor. Overall though, it is a huge earning point for the UFC and fairness never seems to overcome earn in this promotion.
It seems like since the beginning of time Rory MacDonald has been tipped to get a title shot for his displays in the Octagon (despite the blip against Robbie Lawler). The man of quiet and almost murderous demeanour will finally get his shot at UFC 189 under the same banner as Aldo and McGregor – yet what is interesting is how much longer it took for MacDonald versus McGregor, despite (in my mind) having a better and after impact athletically, not market wise.
Obviously if the UFC are spending a ridiculous amount of money hailing the Brazilian and Irishman’s match up by having World Tours and endless press conferences , we can imagine where priorities lie.
And again, in the nature of business it makes perfect sense. I am personally most interested to see whether UFC 189 proves to be the pinnacle of McGregor’s self promotion and establishment as a seriously true threat or if Jose Aldo will enforce McGregor into a corner where he vows his respects. Because let’s be honest, yelling obnoxiously that you are the king does not mean you are.
Thus far Aldo has won the pre-fight antics by keeping himself collective in the midst of McGregor’s antics. But the Irishman is trying very hard to make the Brazilian tick – will he succeed?
Watch McGregor almost start a riot in Dublin:
