UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor addresses those controversial comments in Poland…

Sparring partner and friend of Conor McGregor, Artem Lobov took to the octagon again in Poland on October 21. Featuring as part of the preliminary card, ‘The Russian Hammer’ faced Andre Fili in a featherweight clash.

Exciting as he helped make it, Lobov was unable to win, or come even close. Nearly finished by a head kick in the early going, and controlled on the ground later in the fight, Lobov lost clearly on the judge’s scorecards.

Making it two losses on the bounce, Lobov’s MMA future was immediately cast under doubt. Sporting a less than stellar 13-14-1- (1 NC) after the Fili loss, ‘The Russian Hammer’ was clearly beside himself after the Gdansk loss.

Backstage footage showed McGregor consoling Lobov, and that’s where things got a little complicated. McGregor was captured on camera calling Fili a ‘faggot,’ and this sparked a backlash when reported.

Jul 12, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Conor McGregor looks on during a world tour press conference to promote the upcoming Mayweather vs McGregor boxing fight at Budweiser Stage. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

McGregor Answers His Critics Over Gdansk Slurs

Slammed by the LGBT community (no pun intended), McGregor’s name was being dragged over hot coals again. Compounding this sensitive situation was the previously shady comments (no pun intended) about being ‘black from the waist down.’

Now we’ve got all those puns out the way, let’s plow deep into the bottom of the matter; McGregor addresses his own comments while on an Irish chat show:

https://streamable.com/c51k7

McGregor’s Response

“I was watching a friend, a training partner, sparring partner, who was giving his health. Everything, his brain health, his body health to help me prepare for fights. For my brain health and body health, to help me prepare for fights to entertain the public.

That’s the fighter I was going to watch and support, and I watched him lose. It was a potential career-defining, career-ending fight. In a manner where the opponent was stalling and running away, and I was upset.

I was whispering away in his ear, and I said what I said. I meant no offense to the LGBT community. You’d swear I was screaming away at two people of the same sex kissing. I campaigned when we were trying to get same-sex marriage legalized.

It is what it is, they love to try and blow things up and throw me under the bus. I’d like to just say sorry, and move on from it.”

Photo was taken by Esther Lin, MMAFighting.com

Thoughts

Obviously, we live in a sensitive, perhaps over-sensitive time. That said, when you are a global superstar, you have to watch what you say. Whether you agree with that statement or not, McGregor’s actions prove the point.

Perhaps Ariel Helwani’s campaign to have McGregor punished was a little over the top. On the other side of that coin, McGregor had no reason to say what he said and should know that cameras are always rolling.

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