UFC veteran points out what sets Conor McGregor apart from other rags-to-riches stories
Conor McGregor, the biggest superstar in MMA history, has paved the way for a future generation of fighters to conquer previously unscaled heights of stardom.
However, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen believes McGregor stands out from all other MMA superstars in one particular aspect. 'The American Gangster' noted that many fighters leave their old haunts in search of new coaches and managers once they taste stardom.
According to Sonnen, the secret to McGregor's success lies in the Irishman's loyalty towards his gym, SBG Ireland, and his management label Paradigm Sports. The 45-year-old said in a recent video:
"Of all the things that I could compliment Conor, my number 1 is his loyalty. I could not tell you how many guys I have seen that came from a little quite environment, made it on top and then left. 'I'm too big now, the contracts are too big now'...Very seldom do you stay with you team... The one thing that McGregor has done and you could take all these young guys and you could teach them one thing, man, 'It wasn't the walk, it wasn't the talk, it wasn't the sunglasses, it wasn't the tattoos, it wasn't the suits. It was that.'"
Conor McGregor is loyal… https://t.co/FyPuahGWHA
When Dana White praised Conor McGregor for his loyalty to the UFC
Loyalty seems to be a fundamental trait in Conor McGregor, who often appears arrogant and haughty in the public eye. The Irishman has proven this over time by staying loyal to the Straight Blast Gym in Ireland, his fiancee Dee Devlin and several of his friends.
Dana White also once hailed McGregor as one of his "incredibly loyal" fighters. While White admitted that he is a "handful," there is seemingly no questioning the Dubliner's loyalty. The UFC president said in an earlier interview with Teddy Atlas:
"There's been a lot of fighters that have been incredibly loyal to me and I've been incredibly loyal to them. Conor McGregor's one of them. Conor's a f****** handful boy, but when you look at the way fighters are built, they're different to everybody else on this planet. The Ronda Rouseys, Chuck Liddells, Matt Hughes, McGregor, I don't want to not mention people but there's been a lot of fighters over the last 20 years that have been very loyal."
Catch White's comments below: