Conor McGregor has quite a bit on his plate today, however he’s allegedly wanting so as to add much more after re-joining the UFC’s anti-doping program with plans to make his return to the octagon.
It’s been over 4 years since McGregor final competed, and after a damaged toe sidelined him from dealing with Michael Chandler in 2024, he as soon as once more fell off the radar so far as his preventing profession. Within the meantime, McGregor has develop into a co-owner in BKFC, he’s launched his personal beer model, his personal cigars and a report label to not point out his plans to run to develop into President of Eire.
However UFC legend Matt Brown has by no means purchased into McGregor’s miraculous return, and he’s not satisfied getting drug examined once more is the true signal that the Irish celebrity goes to compete once more. If something, Brown questions if McGregor is simply fighting the cruel actuality that his preventing days are already behind him.
“We don’t know him as an individual,” Brown mentioned about McGregor on the most recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “We don’t know him personally. We don’t know what’s happening in his life. If we choose solely by his social media, which you’ll solely choose a lot by social media. It’s not factual on a regular basis. But when I choose him simply by social media, I might query his psychological well being.”
A part of the rationale Brown can’t assist however query the place McGregor’s head is at today comes right down to the struggles most fighters face when their careers are coming to an finish.
It was one thing he needed to take care of personally as he neared retirement, and Brown needed to acknowledge that he couldn’t permit his combat profession to be the only manner he outlined himself. He’s a father, a enterprise proprietor, and a lot extra, however Brown most recognized with being a fighter, and he is aware of that’s the identical with most athletes within the UFC — together with McGregor.
“Each fighter is aware of it turns into your identification,” Brown mentioned. “While you’re a fighter, it turns into who you might be. We speak about it on a regular basis with sports activities psychologists and different fighters, you’ll be able to’t let this be your identification. You’re greater than that. It turns into your identification. I don’t give a f*ck what all people tells you or what you attempt to consider in your personal head.
“While you step out of the cage someday, you’ll notice that’s who you had been and that was all of who you had been. I feel Conor’s having a tough time with that, seemingly.”
Add to that, McGregor was thought-about one of many prime pound-for-pound fighters within the sport when he turned the primary simultaneous two-division champions after capturing each the light-weight and featherweight titles. That just about seems like a lifetime in the past with McGregor’s final championship win coming in 2016.
In his previous 4 UFC fights, which dates all the best way again to 2018, McGregor holds a 1-3 report after being submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov, knocked out by Dustin Poirier after which struggling a grotesque damaged leg in his third combat in opposition to Poirier.
“Now his identification type of obtained ripped aside by Dustin Poirier,” Brown defined. “Dustin took his soul. Khabib [Nurmagomedov] in all probability first, however Dustin type of put the nail within the coffin on that.
“Now he’s not a winner with that identification. Now he’s not even competing anymore. That’s quite a bit to take care of for anybody. So that you’ve obtained to have just a little little bit of sympathy on that facet. It’s a lot to take care of.”
As a result of he was so profitable on the peak of his profession mixed with a boxing match in opposition to Floyd Mayweather, and the sale of his whiskey firm that yielded him tons of of thousands and thousands of {dollars}, McGregor can also be in a monetary scenario the place he now not must combat.
However as a lot as Brown subscribes to the concept that having that a lot cash can probably lure anybody away from the combat enterprise, he personally believes there could also be one other underlying issue the place anyone like McGregor is worried.
“He’s in all probability in a scenario the place he retired the place he’s like ‘I’ve obtained all this cash, what the f*ck do I do now?’” Brown mentioned. “I’ve by no means had that a lot cash — like I’ve to say that out loud simply in case you had been questioning, I haven’t had that a lot cash but — however I do know very, very rich those who speak about that. Like when you make a sure sum of money, your function in life turns into just a little bit harder to seek out.
“Such as you higher have good family and friends. Since you don’t know what to do with your self now. You made it. You have got every little thing you want. You should purchase no matter you need. You’ll be able to go wherever you need. There’s nothing left.”
That every one provides as much as a number of potential points that McGregor is dealing with whereas additionally simply turning 37 years outdated in a sport the place age is the last word enemy.
“We will solely look from social media, that’s all we find out about him,” Brown mentioned. “We’re not hanging out with him. However on that facet, it doesn’t seem that he’s dealing with it correctly or effectively.”
