You do ... you.
That’s the message from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight No. 1 contender, Brian Ortega, who is just as sick of Conor McGregor wannabes as the rest of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community.
In short, don’t be an asshole.
While some impersonators are just off-brand McGregor (like this “putts”), others use the “Notorious” shtick to make light of the situation (sample). Either way, “T-City” believes most athletes would be better served to just be themselves.
From his conversation with MMA Junkie.
“There’s only one Conor. Everybody who’s tried to be like Conor, you can tell they’re just fronting. You can easily see, you can tell by the way the go in there – you’re just like, ‘Come on. Shut up.’ For me, I’m just me. That’s what I realized the best thing to be is. When I talk to people, they’re like, especially getting into the sport, (they’re like), ‘Oh, you’ve got to be a character. You’ve got to be this.’ And my coach told – and I don’t know if I can cuss or not – but he goes, ‘F-ck that.’ He’s like, ‘Just be you, bro. You don’t have to lie on the thing. You don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to remember some thing you made up before.’ He goes, ‘Just be you, and you can’t go wrong with being you.’”
In defense of McGregor, I don’t think this is an act, it might just be his real persona.
McGregor has long since abandoned the 145-pound division, which paved the way for the next generation of featherweight champions, like former “Notorious” rival Max Holloway. “Blessed” will hold onto the reigns — or surrender them — when he collides with Ortega at UFC 226 this July in Las Vegas.
Both fighters are known for their unique personalities, as well as their devastation inside the Octagon. I guess when you fight like they do (sample), you don’t need to pop off at the mouth every few days.