Matt Brown: UFC Can’t Save McGregor’s Reputation
Matt Brown says the UFC faces an impossible task in saving Conor McGregor’s reputation.
McGregor is considered one of the UFC’s most iconic fighters. He is a two-weight world champion, often credited for propelling the sport to new heights. However, he has not had a UFC fight since losing to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. He withdrew from his Michael Chandler fight at UFC 303 after breaking his toe. Meanwhile, his plans to fight Dan Hooker on February 1 in Saudi Arabia also appear to have failed. The Irishman is also dealing with the fallout of his sexual assault lawsuit. Nikita Hand filed a lawsuit accusing McGregor of sexual assault.
She cited a 2018 incident where McGregor allegedly assaulted her in a Dublin hotel room. James Lawrence was also included in the lawsuit. He was cleared, leaving McGregor as the only one liable. Several brands have already disassociated themselves from McGregor. The Hitman video game franchise and The Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey brand have made statements saying they will not work with McGregor. Irish airports in Cork and Dublin have also stated they will not sell his drinks. Irish politician Ruth Coppinger is also behind the idea of the public boycotting McGregor’s products.
That will hit McGregor’s bottom line and could also transfer over to the UFC. Before the lawsuit, McGregor’s fight with Chandler was expected to exceed a live gate of over $20 million. This would have been a UFC record at the time. The McGregor-Chandler press conference also sold out in just nine minutes, showing how popular he was. However, the reaction from other MMA fighters, such as Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, shows that the Irishman is not the most popular fighter.
Brown Reacts
That could translate to the wider MMA fanbase, with fans not wanting to see McGregor return. This places the UFC in a tough position as McGregor still has two fights left on his UFC deal. However, the UFC’s brand will be the most important factor moving forward. With the UFC’s new broadcasting deal set to happen next year, McGregor’s future is now under intense scrutiny. Brown felt only McGregor could reduce the damage to his reputation by making changes.
“I don’t think this is unsalvageable, but he has to be the one to salvage it. No one’s going to be the one to save him in this situation. The UFC can’t save him. He has to do the right things. Get the [heck] out of the clubs. Put down the straws and get back in the gym. Maybe fighting isn’t what he wants to do anymore so maybe that’s not the right path, but I think it’s salvageable.
“If he comes out, and says ‘I learned a lot from this situation and I’m not putting myself in these types of situations anymore, I’m focusing on my family … all that kind of stuff, says all the good things — people like to see a redemption story. People want people to be good people. We want Conor to do that, but he has to be the one to do it, though. It’s not going to happen by itself,” Brown said
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