UFC star Conor McGregor argued Wednesday that fighters should stop promising to bet their salary on whether they will win their match and should instead keep their money.
«Did any competitive fighter bet their purse against each other and then move on? We should stop doing this. Fighting is hard. It can end anyway. Luck plays a huge role. Don’t say you’re betting your purse on one fight against each other. Because it never happens. And it’s stupid. Train hard. Fight hard. Earn your money. And then enjoy it. God bless you,» McGregor tweeted.
When a fan encouraged him to bet his fight check on the outcome of his upcoming bout against UFC lightweight Michael Chandler, the UFC’s first two-weight world champion refused.
«I make substantially more than everyone on the roster combined, so it’s not feasible. I could bet a part though. But it’s ridiculous, and no. This game, and the longer you’re in it, it gets harder and harder I keep my hard earned money for my loved ones,» she wrote.
CONOR MCGREGOR DONATES $1 MILLION TO THE TUNNEL TOWERS FOUNDATION LIVE ON FOX NEWS
July 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; Conor McGregor fights Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. (Gary A. Vásquez-USA TODAY Sports)
McGregor’s comments came amid an ongoing debate over the salary of mixed martial arts fighters and just a day after boxing stars Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis agreed to gamble each of their paychecks on their championship fight on April 22 in the result of the fight.
UFC President Dana White argued that the company’s athletes are paid fairly and in proportion to the money they contribute.
«If you don’t like it, there’s a simple solution to this problem,» White told GQ last summer.
«Start your own MMA organization, no barriers to entry. Eliminate yourself. Pay (fighters) what you want to pay them. It’s been done before. How did it work for other guys? Not great,» he continued.
UFC’S CONOR MCGREGOR ‘WOULD LIKE TO SEE ARMED PROTECTION AT EVERY SCHOOL’ AFTER COVENANT SHOOTING
Conor McGregor, left, punches Dustin Poirier during a UFC 264 lightweight mixed martial arts bout on Saturday, July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou left the organization earlier this year in protest despite being offered the highest-paid contract in heavyweight history for what he says is a unfair treatment towards less established fighters. He maintained that the UFC should provide its fighters, who are technically independent contractors, with medical care and other benefits.
McGregor has generally refrained from criticizing the UFC on this issue and criticized Ngannou’s decision to leave during a recent appearance on MMA journalist Ariel Helwani’s show.
Nate Diaz fights Conor McGregor of Ireland in their welterweight bout during UFC 202 at T-Mobile Arena on August 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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McGregor recently appeared on Fox News’ «Hannity» where he donated $1 million to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. He is a trainer on the upcoming season of the UFC reality series «The Ultimate Fighter» and is expected to return to the Octagon later this year.