Conor McGregor makes stunning admission about dealing with fame
Conor McGregor says fame nearly broke him when he rapidly became a global superstar.
Conor McGregor admits fame greatly affected his fighting career.
McGregor hasn’t competed since July 2021 and hasn’t won a fight since January 2020, yet he remains the biggest star in MMA today. After suffering a major injury in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier, McGregor has focused on business moves while planning a return to fighting – including becoming a co-owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
Following BKFC 82, the first sanctioned bareknuckle event in New Jersey, McGregor was asked if he finds the same thrill in promoting that he did as a superstar fighter at the top of the game. “The Notorious” offered an honest reply that gave a window into what it was like for him to deal with the pressures of being one of the biggest combatants on the planet.
“Yes, I’ve just come on as a promoter and owner of the bareknuckle for how long, a year or so, but I’m doing it a long, long time,” McGregor told reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I came up through the school of the Fertitta empire and with Dana White at the helm – and I was the protege. I tell you this, and this is why we must really, really, really put our maximum respect and support behind our combatants in here, because to fight as well as promote is the real deal. To promote on its own, is easy, and also, coincedentally, to fight on it’s own is easy. People don’t really realize that.”
The Irishman’s rise in the UFC was unlike anyone before him, as he made a speed run through the ranks to capture interim gold in his sixth UFC bout. From that moment on, his popularity reached meteoric levels after knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, creating an epic rivalry with Nate Diaz, capturing a second UFC title, and then landing a massive box office boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather. Of course, along with that came several legal issues outside of competition.
All of it, McGregor admits, nearly broke him.
“You know, you get these fighters, they come up, and no one cares about you,” McGregor said. “You rock in under the radar, no one asks you a question, you get to show up and have fun and do your thing, and there’s no stress or outside world and it’s perfect. Then when you rise, you’ve gotta add this promotional animal to it – and both of them combined is incredibly draining.
“I wouldn’t be the first to tell you, it almost broke me. To be honest, maybe it did break me as I went on and achieved massive success and global, otherworldly superstardom. It overcame me at times.”
It was one of the most honest and introspective thoughts McGregor offered in a long time, as lately, he has put on his fiery promoter hat when on the mic with BKFC.
Having dealt with everything firsthand as a fighter and a superstar, which includes heavy self-promotion, McGregor knows what it takes to navigate it all. That’s why he commands respect for BKFC fighters, as he and promotion president David Feldman seek to guide the growth of bareknuckle boxing.
“To promote and fight at a high level, deserves support and respect – and that is what I’m here for, to ensure that is what happens,” McGregor said. “To promote on its own, it’s absolutely amazing. I put on a nice suit, I put on a nice watch – that’s what I love to do. But don’t get me wrong, I miss the fight game, and I’m excited about what’s ahead.
“I know Dave wants me in the bareknuckle, UFC are concocting a new contract deal or whatever’s gonna happen, I don’t know, we’ll see. We’ll take it day-by-day, but God is great, and I thank him every day.”
