Dana White Admits Money May Have Changed McGregor, White Reveals His Troubled Childhood
Dana White has given his take on Conor McGregor’s recent struggles in the octagon.
The ‘Notorious’ has been absent from the cage since his 2021 defeat to Dustin Poirier. During the end of the bout, it was clear that the Irishman had broken his leg. The injury has kept McGregor out of the cage since then.
However, he has repeatedly stated that his intention is to make a comeback to the cage this year against Michael Chandler. But in order to do that, he must undergo USADA testing.
So far, McGregor has failed to provide two negative samples across a six-month period which has prevented him from competing. And now White has had his say on the matter.
White On McGregor
“He is back in the gym. He’s training. I expect to see Conor fighting next year. Here’s what happens, Piers, and you know this – I’m sure you’ve seen this with colleagues and friends and people that you know. Once a certain level of money is attained, to be the person that you were coming up, to be that hungry and work that hard and be that dedicated to the sport, or whatever craft it is you do, money changes everything. Conor McGregor has made that kind of money. It’s not a knock. It’s just a fact,” White stated
This naturally begs the question: Can McGregor recapture the form that made him the first person to become a two-weight world champion simultaneously?
Well, his current record would suggest otherwise. Following his exhibition fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2017, McGregor has lost three out of his last four fights. And at the age of 35, the ‘Notorious’ is not getting any younger.
White On His Childhood
Meanwhile, Dana White has also spoken about his childhood in what was a difficult period. White is now one of the most successful men in the MMA business, having presided over the UFC that has made him a billionaire.
Although that may have been the case, things were not so easy for him. White recalled how he grew up in an environment where his mother was a single parent.
Not only that, but White’s father was an alcoholic. The turbulent relationship meant that White did try to avoid addressing the issue, as it was clear that it still played on his mind to this day.
“My parents taught me a lot about what I didn’t want to be as a parent…I don’t really talk about it, I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this, but both of my parents died recently…I’m good with everything. I focus a lot on my kids and my relationship with them, and I’ve sort of put my relationship with my parents behind me. I didn’t wish ill will on either one of my parents, but I didn’t [feel sad]. When they passed away, I had almost no feelings about it, to be honest with you,” White
Nevertheless, White had no regrets over how things played out. In fact, he was thankful as it taught him how to avoid certain things with his own family.
And that has ultimately played a huge part in how he has managed to propel the UFC moving forward. White has also had the impact of keeping the UFC competitive, despite the rise of the PFL and Bellator.
Meanwhile, White has also branched out into the sport of ‘Powerslap’ which continues to grow in popularity. With that being said, he had no regrets over how things played out.
“My relationship with my parents has definitely made me who I am today, not just in business, but as a father, too. I wouldn’t change my upbringing, not one thing about it, I wouldn’t change any of it,” White said
However, White has made mistakes which he has acknowledged. He did slap his wife at a New Year’s party. Although things were resolved in the aftermath, it was not his finest moment.
“Unfortunately, we were both drinking too much on New Year’s Eve and things got out of control, on both sides. We’ve talked this through as a family and apologized to each other,” White stated
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