Daniel Cormier recently refuted the criticism surrounding the disparity of UFC fighter pay by using Conor McGregor as an example. The UFC legend noted that the Irishman has created opportunities for himself and that others should strive to replicate.
The reason McGregor was used was because he had placed a $500,000 wager on Nate Diaz to defeat Jorge Masvidal in their boxing bout this past Saturday. The wager was correct as Diaz earned the decision, which resulted in the Irishman winning collecting over $1 million in profit.
During a recent episode of ESPN’s Good Guy / Bad Guy, the UFC Hall of Famer noted that the Irishman has come a long way from when he would ask for the $50,000 post-fight bonus. Cormier mentioned that McGregor’s wealth is a great example to all fighters that they too can become wealthy in MMA. He said:
“I always think about how that kid [McGregor] that when he won [$50,000], he was yelling, ’50 G’s, baby!’, to now betting $500,000 on a boxing fight. It really does tell you what this sport can provide for you.”
Check out Daniel Cormier’s comments below (8:14 – 8:29):
Chael Sonnen believes Conor McGregor still loves MMA
Chael Sonnen also chimed in and shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor. He believes that the Irishman still loves the sport of MMA.
During the aforementioned episode, Sonnen mentioned that McGregor placing hefty wagers and keeping a close eye on what fighters are doing both in MMA and boxing is proof that he still very much loves the sport. He said:
“[McGregor] is still part of this community, he has not left… You wonder if he’s still attached to the sport, if he’s still got that little kid inside of him…had a sparkle in his eye and a dream. Might not sound like it when a guy’s betting a half a million dollars but I contend for you, he’s paying attention…he’s following the sport, he likes it, he likes the guys, he wants to be part of it.” [7:42 – 8:06]
Check out Conor McGregor’s tweet reacting to Nate Diaz’s win below:
McGregor’s tweet reacting to Diaz’s win [Image courtesy: @TheNotoriousMMA – X]