When Joe Rogan outlined key reasons why Conor McGregor has "not been the same guy" in MMA
Conor McGregor's star power transcended the sport of MMA and made him a global celebrity and one of the wealthiest athletes in the world. However, his competitive success faded after his historic UFC 205 win over Eddie Alvarez that saw him become the first-ever simultaneous two-division champion in the promotion's history.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who has witnessed the Irishman's rise and fall in the competitive sphere of MMA, shared his thoughts on why McGregor could not sustain his dominance in the sport.
Speaking to Josh Brolin during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that aired on Nov. 21, 2024, Rogan cited McGregor's wealth as one of the reasons for McGregor losing the competitive edge, stating:
"Conor self-destructed in a lot of ways because of money. He took that fight with Floyd Mayweather, made a ton of money off that, and took a long time before he came back to MMA, and he's just not been the same guy since. It's money, it's a lot of partying."
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (2:00:30):
When Joe Rogan discussed the impact of prime Conor McGregor's mental tactics
While Conor McGregor possessed an elite skill set, his mental tactics and ability to get into his opponents' heads also played crucial roles in his success as a professional MMA fighter.
While interacting with McGregor's rival and former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier, Rogan shared his observation of how the Irishman's mental warfare led to Jose Aldo losing focus in their UFC 194 fight.
Rogan said:
"He tortured Jose Aldo for months... They did that crazy press conference where they toured all over the world. He stole his belt... And by the time they got into the cage, Jose Aldo was afraid... Compared to what I had seen from Aldo in the past, he seemed much more nervous, much more aware of the magnitude of the moment. And Conor seemed so relaxed."
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (1:58):
For those who are unaware, McGregor managed to knock out Aldo in 13 seconds of the very first round, ending Aldo's long and celebrated title reign as the featherweight champion. The fight is cited as one of the biggest examples of effective trash-talking and mental warfare.