"He doesn't need to talk trash to be successful" - PFL star Kayla Harrison sticks up for 'Nice' Conor McGregor [Exclusive]
Kayla Harrison believes that Conor McGregor can be a nice guy and win fights at the same time. The Professional Fighters League (PFL) star is a champion of respect in the mixed martial arts world.
Harrison preferred to join the PFL over other fighting organisations because of the unique format on offer. A league-like setup allows fighters to control their own destiny without the politicising aspect present in other promotions.
In an exclusive talk with Sportskeeda, the two-time Olympic gold medalist opened up about performing in a highly competitive environment and how that can affect attitudes and behaviours. Harrison said in this regard:
"I think that MMA is an interesting beast because it's two sides of a coin, right? It's a sport, but it's also entertainment. It's entertainment, and it's also full of these different personalities and different characters," said Harrison. "It's a solo sport, right? So, you don't have a team. I mean, you do have a team. You do have people who are supporting you and behind you. But at the end of the day, it's only you who steps in that cage, when it gets locked behind you, versus another human being. It's sort of up to each individual about how they want to approach it - and I get it."
Kayla Harrison is confident that a fighter does not need to trash talk to succeed in the sport. When asked about Conor McGregor's new 'nice guy' persona, she compared the different styles the Irishman has embodied throughout his UFC career:
"Conor McGregor is literally the sport's biggest star. Do I think that he needed to do it the way he did it (by trash-talking)? No, I think that he's good enough. And he's mentally strong enough that he doesn't need to talk trash to be successful. I think that if you look at the early Conor McGregor, it was confidence. It wasn't cockiness, and there wasn't as much trash talk, I think," considered Harrison.
"Look at the cycle of Conor McGregor's career. I mean, Conor McGregor was very friendly with 'Cowboy' [Donald Cerrone], and he won. So it's not like he has to talk trash to win a fight. I think it is a big weapon for him. I think it helps him feel larger than life and what he needs to feel to step in the cage and be that 'Gladiator' that he needs to be. But do I think it's necessary? No. Do I think it has to be a part of the sport? No," examined Kayla Harrison.
The current PFL women's lightweight champion aspires to become a role model for children. She believes that trash-talking should not be part of the fighting game since martial arts are fundamentally based on respect.
"At the end of the day, MMA is mixed martial arts, and what do they teach in every single martial art across the board? They teach discipline, and they teach respect. They teach self-respect. The first thing you do when you get onto almost any mat is you bow. It's all rooted in respect," stated Harrison. "It's not rooted in talking trash. Now, mentally, you may need to do that, but I'm not buying it. I don't think he needs to talk trash to be the best. I think that he has the skill. I believe he has the mental ability. I think it's just a matter of preference, or maybe it's a matter of selling, you know, selling pay-per-view tickets, selling whatever. Of course, people love the drama. Our whole society, our whole world, is one big drama show," said Harrison.
Harrison returns to action, defending her women's lightweight belt on May 6, when the 2021 PFL regular season kicks off.
Are Conor McGregor's 'Mr. Nice Guy' days over?
Conor McGregor posted a picture on his Instagram profile with a subtitle hinting that his trash-talking persona could return following his defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257.
MMA fans and experts have been questioning Conor McGregor, the former UFC double champion about his 'transformation' into a 'nice guy'. Many believe Conor McGregor needs to play the trash-talking game to return to his peak.