Conor McGregor unified the UFC featherweight titles last Saturday night (Dec. 12, 2015) by knocking out Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds (video). Following his win, which not only backed up months of trash talk but also delivered a big middle finger to all his critics, the talking heads were singing from the rooftops.
In fact, the "Notorious" Irishman was even drawing comparisons to Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest athletes of all time who also worked tirelessly as a social activist outside the boxing ring. That's one of many reasons why former Strikeforce champion Muhammed Lawal is insulted by the hyperbole.
Transcribed by MMA Fighting from "Morning Wood With Deez Nuts" (lol):
"I think it was a good performance. What he's doing with his striking range, he's confident, but one thing I don't like is when people say he's like Ali. How dare you all say he's like Ali? [McGregor's] turning heads, he's got Ireland behind him. White folks love Ireland and Italy, but Ali stood for something different, a whole different thing. McGregor stands for himself and for his country, but Ali was greater than that. Ali gave us a voice. To me, it's a slap in the face when people try to compare him to Ali. If you want to say he talks trash as ridiculous as Ali, cool, but that's about it. As far as being as significant as Ali? Ali is the greatest and most influential athlete of all time."
Wait, I thought Jon Jones was the next Muhammad Ali ... or was that the next Michael Jordan?
I guess that's just how this business works. Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was not just a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, but a "once ever." Then she went and got turned inside out (video highlights here) by former boxer Holly Holm.
Heck, even Sage Northcutt is the next Georges St. Pierre TIMES 10!