Conor McGregor had a tricky few months to shut out 2024 after a jury in Eire discovered him liable in a civil lawsuit after he was accused of sexual assault a number of years in the past. That got here after McGregor’s skilled profession additionally endured loads of turmoil following a cancelled battle towards Michael Chandler within the UFC with no clear indication on when he would possibly truly compete once more.
Within the wake of the lawsuit verdict, McGregor noticed quite a few sponsors and enterprise companions lower ties with him together with Correct No. 12 Irish whiskey — an organization he based and later bought with the brand new house owners at Proximo Spirits eradicating him from all advertising supplies after he was discovered liable within the civil lawsuit. Whereas McGregor has vowed to attraction the decision within the civil case, he’s remained steadfast with plans to battle once more however maybe his greatest ardour these days has been pushing and selling BKFC after he grew to become a part-owner within the bare-knuckle outfit in 2024.
McGregor has been a relentless presence each in attendance at many exhibits and constantly posting in regards to the group on social media, the place he boasts over 70 million mixed followers. BKFC president David Feldman praised McGregor for his fixed help and he vowed to face by the Irish celebrity by way of thick and skinny.
“We don’t need to go into what occurred however on the finish of the day, we’re with him,” Feldman instructed MMA Preventing. “He’s our companion, and we’re going to develop this factor collectively. He talks, individuals hear. I don’t condone any dangerous issues that will have occurred however what I do help one hundred pc is loyalty. You’re with any individual, you’re with any individual, and also you’re with any individual by way of good and dangerous. Not simply with them by way of the nice.
“We’ve been with Conor McGregor the entire time. He’s been with us the entire time and 2025’s going to be an epic yr for everyone concerned.”
McGregor’s affect has been overwhelmingly optimistic since he acquired concerned with BKFC, however he can nonetheless handle to ruffle a couple of feathers infrequently.
He famously “fired” Mike Perry after dropping to Jake Paul in a boxing match again in July, which truly brought on loads of confusion contemplating his precise possession stake in BKFC. Clearly, Perry wasn’t fired however that preliminary remark undoubtedly didn’t appear to take a seat nicely with arguably BKFC’s greatest star.
This previous weekend in the course of the ultimate BKFC card of 2024, McGregor unleashed a tirade geared toward DAZN — the streaming platform and broadcast companion to the bare-knuckle promotion — after he was angered that successful athletes weren’t being supplied time for post-fight interviews.
“DAZN, I don’t give a f*ck, in case you don’t get our winners on the mic, we’re executed,” McGregor shouted in a now deleted submit on Twitter.
It seems, McGregor’s frustration was truly misplaced as a result of the choice on whether or not or to not provide time for post-fight interviews truly falls on BKFC’s shoulders.
“He’s lifeless proper on that however that really wasn’t a DAZN factor,” Feldman defined. “It was an our manufacturing factor. On the Arduous Rock for some motive, we’re at all times on a timeline and we now have to get out of there. It will get loopy in case you go over time, I’m speaking like $100,000 an hour so we needed to get out on time. He’s lifeless proper. So we’re making some changes, too. Whether or not it’s in the course of the subsequent battle’s walkout, or in the course of the break from the subsequent battle, whereas we’re interviewing these guys.
“These guys do must be seen and heard. As a result of that’s what [makes] them. That’s what made [Conor]. In the event that they didn’t discuss to Conor McGregor after the fights, you wouldn’t know who he’s. You wouldn’t. So we now have to make the most of that and we’ll.”
As a lot as he needs McGregor didn’t publicly blast DAZN in that approach, Feldman actually does respect the fervour that the previous two-division UFC champion exhibits for the game and BKFC as an entire throughout virtually each present.
Feldman guarantees that he’s very pleased with BKFC’s choice to work with DAZN and now he simply has to determine a greater technique to get fighters the time they need to get on the microphone after a giant win it doesn’t matter what.
“Clearly, DAZN is a superb companion for us, and I want he didn’t go on the market like that however on the finish of the day, the whole lot’s ironed over,” Feldman stated. “We perceive the whole lot, he understands the whole lot and he’s lifeless proper.
“We need to hear from the fighters. They only had a devastating knockout. I need to hear ‘I’m going to knock out all people else that I ever face.’ They need to hear that. They need to hear why, and we’re going to inform these tales, and we’re going to allow them to discuss.”
