[rapsey]

This is a very idealistic point of view. At the end of the day sports for viewers is entertainment. Athletes make their money by entertaining the audience. They can do this with their skill only and many do. That however is not a path of making the most out of their career financially.

Fighters are literally going against the clock of getting permanent severe brain damage before they retire need to make as much money as fast as possible. What Connor did is the best move a fighter could do. Be as entertaining as possible, outside the ring and inside. Retire with hundreds of millions.

[akudha]

I agree with everything you said. But we have different opinions about what entertainment is. To me, constantly insulting your opponents is not entertainment.

There is a huge market for this kind of “manufactured drama” junk. As evidenced by Conor like behavior. I guess fans are to blame as they eat it up and encourage it.

To me, the actual sport is the entertainment - whether it is MMA or Scrabble or something in between.

[lovemenot]

Ironically, Osaka is providing the same drama. Rather than shit-talking opponents, she goes up against institutions.

She has also declared a nuanced rejection of IOC's decision to plough-on with Tokyo Olympics, despite +70% of Japanese people being against it.

She's a remarkable person who, if her athletic success continues, will be good for her sport since it will bring in people who care little for tennis but love the attitude.

[chitowneats]

Sure but the drama is over if/when she or the league relents. She's not making drama for entertainment. She's trying to improve her life and the lives of other athletes who are sick of this particular ritual.

[MrMember]

He was one of the highest paid athletes in the world last year and almost none of it (percentage wise anyway) came from fighting.

[dagw]

His last win against an actual decent opponent was in 2016! He's a celebrity and showman now and hasn't taken fighting seriously for years.

[brokenmachine]

He fought Poirier in January and fighting him again on July 10th. Poirier is absolutely top level competition and Conor had him wobbled early.

Also he fought a guy called Nurmagomedov in Oct 2018 who is a sorta ok fighter, good enough to have never lost in 29 fights.

There must be a lot of fighters out there that you don't like if you expect wins over guys of that calibre.

[dagw]

If you go back and check he lost both those fights. He also looked kind of terrible against Poirier, and nothing like the Conor who gave a fuck and took the belt from Eddie Alvarez.

Is he a top 10 fighter in his weight class. Absolutely. Is his paycheck in any way in proportion to a skill as an athlete. Not even close.

[brokenmachine]

McGregor won the first round on all three scorecards.

He didn't look terrible. He looked very dangerous, just didn't address the leg kicks. It's a game of inches, a couple of Conor's big lefts only just missed Dustin's jaw. One of those lands and things could have been very different.

>Is his paycheck in any way in proportion to a skill as an athlete. Not even close.

I was addressing:

>hasn't taken fighting seriously for years.

I disagree. You don't step into the ring with Poirier and have a showing like that without taking fighting seriously.

[dagw]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. To me post-Mayweather Conor is a shadow of the fighter pre-Mayweather Conor seemed to be.