Morning Report: Joe Rogan says it’s hard for UFC to discipline Conor McGregor, because ‘he’s worth so much money’
Despite the fact that Conor McGregor has not fought for the UFC in nearly 18 months, the Irish superstar has continued to make headlines, though lately those headlines have been negative. In November, McGregor got in trouble when he stormed the cage during a Bellator event to celebrate with a teammate, striking a Bellator employee in the process and nearly getting physical with referee Marc Goddard. Later that month, rumors surfaced that McGregor was engaged in a bar brawl and had gotten on the wrong side of some Irish gang members. Then, earlier this month, McGregor attacked a bus carrying UFC fighters ahead of UFC 223, injuring several and resulting in his arrest and pending criminal charges. But throughout all of this, UFC President Dana White has remained quiet on whether the former two-division champion would be subject to any promotional sanctions for his actions, despite many fans and fighters calling for it. Well, according to UFC commentator Joe Rogan, don’t expect punishment to come anytime soon from the UFC.
Speaking on his The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show podcast, Rogan discussed how the UFC has handled other fighters who have acted out in unacceptable ways while under contract with them and how those fighters were treated differently, coming to the conclusion that the UFC won’t punish McGregor because of the money he can bring in.
“He just keeps f**king up with this kind of stuff and no one’s saying, ‘Get rid of him!’” said Rogan. “He’s worth so much money. It’s really fascinating. Imagine if Ray Borg and him switched sides. If Ray Borg showed up with all his boys and was screaming and yelling and threw a dolly at the window, it’s a done deal forever. Think about Paul Daley. Paul Daley must be at home going, ‘Motherf**ker! F**k Dana White!’
“Until you get to that stratosphere that Conor McGregor - there’s so much money to be made, that’s the problem. The rules get bent. All Paul Daley did was throw a punch at Josh Kosheck after [fight was over]. It didn’t even connect! That could have been sorted out.”
Daley was famously given a lifetime ban from the UFC by Dana White after throwing a punch at Josh Koscheck well after their fight was over and broken up. Daley has not been seen in the UFC since. Similarly, White called McGregor’s bus attack the ‘most disgusting thing that has ever happened’ in UFC history yet has so far seemed content to let the New York City Police Department handle the issue, perhaps because, as Rogan says, there is a possible superfight between McGregor and Floyd Mayweather to be put on inside the octagon.
“There’s a level to the game where you’re so valuable - if Conor McGregor does a pay-per-view fight, especially if they do all that crazy nonsense with Mayweather - if they ever did that, they’re just printing money,” said Rogan. “They’re printing money. It’s so hard for them to not take that money.”
McGregor and Mayweather boxed each other last summer in one of the most lucrative fights in sporting history, drawing over four million pay-per-view buys and earning each fighter and the promotional parties an enormous payday. For the last few months, Mayweather has been teasing a potential rematch between the two only this time inside the cage, possibly with a modified rule set in place. If that were to happen, it would almost certainly result in the single biggest financial night in UFC history, something that makes suspending McGregor seem significantly less appealing to the UFC owners. Besides, even if the UFC won’t punish McGregor, according to Rogan, at least the commissions will.
“I don’t think New York is ever letting that motherf**ker fight there again,” said Rogan. “I just don’t think they’re gonna do that. They don’t play games. That athletic commission is a different commission. They’re new to MMA and that was embarrassing to them. Him throwing the f**king dolly and the fact that they let him get in there with all his boys, the whole thing was just so thuggish.”
McGregor has lately been making overtures about returning to MMA after his long hiatus though nothing firm has been planned yet. At the moment, the Irish superstar is more preoccupied with his upcoming court date on June 14 to face the three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief he is facing for his role in the UFC 223 bus attack.
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VIDEO STEW
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Anik & Florian. Recapping UFC Atlantic City and an interview with Aljamain Sterling.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
I don’t even like DC and I enjoyed this. Too funny Alex bring all your tough guy shit to the championship rounds next time https://t.co/CSHLq7HlB2
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 24, 2018
Tony.
.Beats a non-full time fighter real estate agent ranked #11 on @ufc roster, and I get Stripped when same thing happened to @rjwhittaker1990 @teamkhabib run til’ November #PaperChump https://t.co/es3xBJEPSR
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) April 24, 2018
Confidence.
Don’t worry, get some rest, heal up and I’ll see you down the road
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) April 24, 2018
Beef.
I’m on my way to the top of the food chain! You’re 1 fight away from being a prelim on PFL. See you around boy @PlatinumPerry #iluvu
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) April 23, 2018
Tired of the USADA nonsense.
From here on out, can you guys actually put your foot down. I think all excuses have been used. It’s easy to beat your system . @usantidoping
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 23, 2018
Honestly, wouldn’t mind this at all.
Khabib vs Conor
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) April 23, 2018
Poirier vs Ferguson
Lee vs Alvarez Interesting
Antsy.
Just waiting to get back at it. @seanshelby @ufc @danawhite #July pic.twitter.com/tomD6B8Eb6
— tim means (@MeansTim) April 23, 2018
Dilly back with Loma.
Thank you to @VasylLomachenko and camp for allowing me to train with him and some of the best in boxing for the next two days. pic.twitter.com/tcdd3BeexU
— TJ Dillashaw (@TJDillashaw) April 24, 2018
One tough SOB.
Yay for no facial surgery! 4-6w no contact. Off to the eye doctor tomorrow, still hoping they replace it with glass. Just so I can freak out my future grandkids. pic.twitter.com/91nkUKEU21
— Jim Miller (@JimMiller_155) April 23, 2018
Rumor mill.
Alexander Shlemenko has told Russian media that he doesn't intend to fight for Bellator again. He is planning to fight for M-1 in June and would like to sign with the UFC after his contract with Bellator expires in 2019.
— Jeffrey James (@FightTimes) April 20, 2018
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Julia Budd (11-2) vs. Talita Nogueira (7-0)
Eduardo Dantas (20-5) vs. Michael McDonald (18-4); Bellator 202, July 13.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2010: Jose Aldo successfully defended his WEC featherweight title by kicking the leg off of Urijah Faber at WEC 48. In the co-main event, Ben Henderson defended his lightweight title by submitting Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Have a good one and see y’all tomorrow.
EXIT POLL
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