Conor McGregor recently used social media to taunt Justin Gaethje after his knockout win, leading to criticism from UFC welterweight Matt Brown, who believes McGregor needs to fight rather than just talk, and accused him of losing impactful interest from his audience.
Conor McGregor, well-known for seizing opportunities, sprung into action following Justin Gaethje’s knockout win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291. Despite being expected to face Michael Chandler upon his return, McGregor turned his attention to Gaethje, challenging him on social media. While McGregor gave himself the title of “the real ‘BMF,'” Gaethje brushed him off, preferring to focus on his goal of winning the UFC lightweight title and accusing McGregor of steroid use.
The situation drew feedback from others in the sport, including UFC welterweight Matt Brown. On an episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown stated he appreciated Gaethje’s response, noting that it seemed right to dismiss McGregor’s call-outs in favor of pursuing the title. However, Brown’s respect for McGregor has dwindled over the past two years due to his inactivity. He critiques McGregor for only talking trash and not backing up his words, saying although McGregor may still be constantly in the spotlight, he’s not backing up his words with action.
Despite acknowledging McGregor’s knack for attracting attention, Brown argues that words alone aren’t enough. He states that McGregor’s recent behavior has garnered negative attention, but Brown insists that the sport requires more than mere talk. Brown also emphasizes that even with his brash personality, McGregor needs to physically return to the sport and stop solely relying on words. He notes that people are becoming less interested in him, and as time goes on, McGregor’s once notable impact is fading.
He believes that though McGregor still draws an audience, his words aren’t as impactful as during his heyday. He ends his critique by pointing out that while McGregor’s words may still generate some discussion, the impact is dwindling over time. Brown suggests that the only way to change the narrative is for McGregor to actually return to action and reclaim his title as one of the best fighters on the planet. Notably accused by Gaethje of using steroids during his hiatus from the sport, it will be interesting to see how the coming years will unfold for McGregor.