UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has praised Conor McGregor‘s impact on the sport, acknowledging that despite his controversial personal life, McGregor’s achievements and self-promotion have significantly advanced MMA’s popularity.
Leon Edwards knows the truth. Conor McGregor’s rise was a boon for the business.
McGregor’s been MIA from the UFC scene for a bit. Why? A broken leg. But he’s still a hot topic in the sport. His comeback is on everyone’s lips. He’s eyeing UFC 300 on April 13 and a July 29 UFC card. Plus, he’s got a mainstream media presence. A remake of the film Road House with McGregor drops on March 8.
Edwards, the current UFC welterweight champ, recently appeared on Up Front With Simon Jordan. The topic? McGregor’s influence on MMA’s skyrocketing popularity. Edwards didn’t hold back. He praised “The Notorious.”
“For me, he’s a boon for the sport,” Edwards admitted. “He’s pushed the sport forward for casual fans. He’s polarizing, but his achievements in the sport are undeniable. He was the first-ever two-division world champ. He talks a big game, but he can back it up. He’s a solid fighter.”
“He’s been a positive force for the sport,” Edwards continued. “He’s pushed it into the mainstream.”
But McGregor’s not all sunshine and rainbows. He’s given fans plenty of reasons to boo. He’s been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Sexual assault accusations, legal issues, and that infamous UFC 223 incident in April 2018. Remember when he threw a dolly through a bus window to attack rival Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Edwards was clear. He’s not a fan of McGregor’s antics. But he can’t deny McGregor’s impact on MMA.
“I’m not his fan,” Edwards confessed. “I’m looking at his competitive and self-promoting side. His personal life? Not my business. There are probably others in boxing or football doing weird stuff. But I don’t care about his personal life. It’s about what he’s achieved in the game. His self-promotion? To each their own. He’s not my buddy, so it is what it is.”