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UFC superstars have to spend a considerable amount of time of their life speaking with the press and media. UFC fighters have a significant number of hours on their contracts for media obligations that they cannot forego unless they want to face Dana White's wrath. While getting asked fan questions should be fun for UFC athletes, it often involves biting one's tongue to avoid controversial topics.
The finest example in the UFC for someone who faces a celebrity dilemma is Conor McGregor. With the Irishman's unparalleled fame, there has also come a need for accountability for his brash actions. Be it facing allegations of inflicting violence through his words or actions, the 'Notorious' has had to answer to the media quite often.
Conor McGregor has often run into trouble with the law for his scandalous gestures. However, being the businessman he is, the 'Mystic Mac' has never let a media person get the better of him. He is known to smart mouth his way around dicey situations, even owning reporters if need be.
Five times Conor McGregor absolutely owned reporters:
#5 - Conor McGregor shuts up a hater of Proper Twelve
The 'Notorious' and the UFC signed a contract in 2018 to include the former champion's whiskey brand, Proper Twelve, on the canvas. Conor McGregor was seen at every subsequent press conference picking up a bottle of his Irish whiskey and singing praises about how great it was.
During the pre-fight press conference for UFC 229, which was going to be headlined by Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, a reporter tried to question the quality of the Irishman's "liquid gold". As anybody could have guessed, the reporter faced the wrath of the 'Notorious'.
Replying to the reporter who spoke about negative reviews of Proper Twelve, Conor McGregor said,
"Ask my bollocks, mate. Have a drink of it now and tell me what you think. There are always going to be begrudgers and people that are hating and this and that. It comes with the territory when you're at the top of your game. Trust me! It is the tastiest Irish whiskey there is on the planet. I f***ing love it and I don't give a bollocks what anyone says. I'm not even trying to sell it. Just have a sip of it. Take a bottle with you and enjoy yourself."
As the reporter started to step forward to accept Conor McGregor's offer to take a sip of his whisey, the 'Notorious' thrashed him further. He exclaimed,
"No, not you! The smell of you! Keep him out of here, bringing up negative sh*t. You ask my bollocks, mate."
Also read: "He wants MMA, he's gonna get it" - Conor McGregor promises to showcase a 'lot of weapons' in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
#4 - Conor McGregor invites reporter into the octagon
Conor McGregor gave an interview during a media call ahead of his rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202. During the call, a reporter asked the 'Stockton Slugger' if he thought McGregor's submission at UFC 196 was quick. Annoying McGregor by touching on the sensitive topic of his submission against Diaz, the reporter faced the Irishman's wrath.
Cutting the reporter off in the middle of his question, Conor McGregor said,
"I'd like to see you in there, my friend, eh? Talking about that quick tap."
The reporter instantly realized he had irked the UFC star and sucked up to him. He replied to Conor McGregor's invite to the octagon and stammered, saying,
"I would've been knocked out in the first round, in seven seconds. I was just wondering, it seemed like.. it was over quick."
Watch the video below from the 1:43 mark for the exchange between Conor McGregor and the reporter:
Also read: "He paved the way for where we are now" - UFC bantamweight Johnny Munoz on taking inspiration from Conor McGregor's success.
#3 - "Mate, shut the f**k up," Conor McGregor tells TMZ reporter
Conor McGregor faced Nate Diaz for the first time in March 2016 for his UFC welterweight debut. At the UFC 196 pre-fight conference, McGregor brought a bag full of insults for his rival as usual. The fighters engaged in a disagreement over how the negotiations for the fight went down. In the end, the 'Notorious' tried to compliment Nate Diaz by calling him a "Cholo gangster from the hood".
After the press conference, a TMZ reporter asked Conor McGregor whether he purposely called Nate Diaz a "cholo gangster" as a racial slur. The Irishman did not enjoy the question and owned the reporter. He said,
"Mate, shut the fuck up, will ya? Remember the Jesus sh*t you brought up? Such a stupid question. You're an idiot."
McGregor was referring to a previous interview where the same reporter had asked the UFC star whether he could take on Jesus inside the octagon.
#2 - "This is not a therapy session" - Conor McGregor refuses to discuss his beef with Jose Aldo
The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo was one of the worst beefs in the history of the UFC. Aldo was one of the biggest MMA stars who was undefeated for nearly a decade. 'Junior' was also the UFC featherweight champion for five years when faced the 'Notorious' in 2015.
Conor McGregor left no stone unturned when it came to insulting Jose Aldo before the face-off. The Irishman tore the Brazilian's poster and threw darts at it during the UFC tour, telling Aldo in his own tongue that he was "going to die." It is no secret that the featherweight champion was irked out of his senses, which became a reason for his downfall.
In a pre-fight press conference, Conor McGregor was asked by a reporter why he hated Jose Aldo so much. The 'Notorious', showing no respect for the reporter, replied,
"This is not a therapy session. I said what I said. He (Jose Aldo) spoke my name out of tone. He should have kept his mouth shut. He should have given me my credit for what I've done for this division. I made this division. Without me, this division is nothing. Without me, he is prelim. He did not (respect me). Now I get him at every single opportunity."
Also read: Watch: Dan Hardy demonstrates Conor McGregor's paths to victory against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
#1 - Conor McGregor takes down a reporter inside the octagon
The UFC hosted a show ahead of UFC 194 featuring Conor McGregor, former UFC champion Chael Sonnen and an MMA reporter. All the involved parties were engaged in making predictions about how the fight would go between the 'Notorious' and Jose Aldo.
Conor McGregor demonstrated the many ways in which he could finish as UFC featherweight champion. Chael Sonnen, on the other hand, said that Jose Aldo's speed would play a role against the 'Notorious' at UFC 194.
When the reporter began to give his two cents, 'Uncle' Chael offered to "take the fight to Conor," observing how the reporter had been sizing up Conor all the while. The reporter obliged and squared up against the UFC star, who executed a single-leg take-down on the reporter and airboxed him into submission.
