The main star of the UFC 303 card, Conor McGregor, has found himself in the spotlight for reasons beyond the octagon. Footage had recently surfaced on social media showing the Irishman partying. This had raised eyebrows about his mindset before the upcoming fight. UFC CEO Dana White had a different view when asked about the situation.
Dana White acknowledged that fighters have a history of letting loose before big fights. He drew comparisons between McGregor’s partying to that of heavyweight champion Jon Jones. McGregor has never pulled out of a fight until now. As such, the UFC brass has remained calm despite the Irishman’s off-the-field activities.
We were talking about Jon Jones. Jon Jones was doing a lot of that stuff too back in the day and many other fighters throughout history. But Conor is not a dumb guy and this is obviously a big fight for him. He’s calling it the best comeback in the history of sports and all of that stuff. So we’ll see what happens.
Dana White at UFC 302 post-fight press conference
White also expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the footage. He noted inconsistencies in McGregor’s appearance across different videos. Conor McGregor has hyped his return as “the best comeback in the history of sports.” This bold claim has only fueled the excitement surrounding his showdown with Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29.
Recently the much-anticipated presser in Ireland for UFC 303 was postponed due to undisclosed reasons. This had started rumors about Conor McGregor’s part in the postponement. Nothing is known about this as of yet. However, White remains confident in McGregor’s ability to compete in the main event of the International Fight Week PPV event.
Dana White compares Conor McGregor’s fight IQ to that of legendary heavyweight boxing champion
Few fighters have generated as much buzz as Conor McGregor in the UFC. The Notorious’s pre-fight antics and verbal jabs often steal the spotlight. He is responsible for the massive increase in popularity of MMA in general and UFC in particular. But according to UFC CEO Dana White, there’s more to McGregor than meets the eye.
Dana White praises Conor McGregor (via Imago)White showered praise on McGregor’s fight IQ in a recent interview. He believed that Mcgregor was extremely intelligent when it came to the art of fighting. White believed that McGregor had an exceptional gift, and he took full advantage of it.
When you hear him speak, he’s very articulate about fighting. When you talk fighter IQ. Like, [Mike] Tyson, Conor’s fighter IQ is off the charts.
Dana White via In Search of Excellence podcast
White’s comments carry weight given his long-standing relationship with McGregor, who has remained one of the UFC’s biggest stars and pay-per-view draws. The UFC boss seemed confident in McGregor’s fight sense in the octagon. McGregor has backed this assessment up with his highlight reel finishes, most notably those of Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez. It remains to be seen if he can replicate it when he returns at UFC 300.
