What did we learn from Conor McGregor’s ESPN interview?

For a brief moment, it looked as if Conor McGregor was a changed man. The former UFC Lightweight and Featherweight Champion was calm, articulate, full of regret and thinking about the future, something fans of his haven’t seen in a long time. Was it all an act or was he truly trying to be genuine?

When it all comes down to it, it was a little bit of both.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on ESPN this past week, Conor (21-4) started by discussing the April incident that recently got released on video. In the video, he is seen punching an old man in Ireland as he is attempting to give him some of his Proper No. 12 whiskey.

“I was in the wrong,” McGregor stated. “That man deserved to enjoy his time in the pub without having it end the way it did. I tried to make amends and I made amends back then. But it doesn’t matter. I must come here before you and take accountability and take responsibility. I owe it to the people that have been supporting me. I owe it to my mother, my father, my family. I owe it to the people who trained me in martial arts. That’s not who I am. That’s not the reason why I got into martial arts or studying combat sports. The reason I got into it was to defend against that type of scenario.” 

Later on, when Ariel asked Conor right then and there if he punched the man, Conor did not exactly come clean. He didn’t have to, however. The rest was taken care of thanks to this move that would probably not have taken place if a video wasn’t released.

This segment on ESPN, who provides the rights to promote the UFC’s fights, was long overdue. This is not McGregor’s first time in a tricky situation. There is the dolly incident prior to UFC 223, jumping into a Bellator cage and attacking an official and the entire leadup to UFC 229, among others. One man went above and beyond to create controversy after controversy, and this time his actions brought down consequences.

However, this interview was the best thing to happen to Conor. As stated above, it provides fans a chance to hear from the star in a different light, one that is not about the spotlight. We got to hear his regrets and his thoughts about the fight game, something many felt he was done with altogether.