"You want to see Hannibal Lecter" - Teddy Atlas gives a beautiful explanation why Conor McGregor has embraced being the heel

Teddy Atlas has explained why Conor McGregor chose to be the villain of the UFC.

Atlas commended McGregor and explained how the Irish megastar has been significantly influential in the growth of MMA globally. He also compared 'The Notorious' to Hannibal Lecter, a fictional serial killer who eats his victims.

Speaking about Conor McGregor's future sustainability in MMA during an appearance on Submission Radio, Teddy Atlas said:

"Can he run his engine on that part, on the part of being the villain? I think in some ways after he lost to Poirier, he kinda gave you an answer that he thinks he can and maybe he thinks he needs to by behaving the way he did, which bothered a lot of people...but he'll continue to be the guy [that people want to see]. You want to see whether he's gonna do something outrageous, you want to see Hannibal Lecter!"

Teddy Atlas's claims about Conor McGregor embracing the wrongdoer persona seem justified. Conor McGregor's actions after the fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 certainly fit that narrative.

After the fight ended in an anticlimactic fashion, Conor McGregor sat against the cage with a broken leg. Despite his injury, he continued to ridicule Poirier, talking trash towards 'The Diamond' and his wife.

Watch the post-fight interview below:

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Teddy Atlas doesn't think Conor McGregor can keep up with the physicality of MMA

Speaking further about Conor McGregor's odds of ever competing at the same level as he did before, Teddy Atlas said:

"Physically, as a fighter, I don't think he can sustain the level of effort and accomplishment and success that he sustained three, four or five years ago... because now it's a different breed. It's different [fighters] that he's facing. He's not facing guys who can just walk in and get caught with that left hand... So it's gonna be tough."

Watch Teddy Atlas' full interview with Submission Radio below: