Conor McGregor is still considered to be one of the top fighters in the sport, but the former 2-division UFC champ knows that his time as an athlete will eventually come to an end.
Once that happens and he is no longer able to collect fight cheques, he thinks that he will be well prepared.
In an interview with The Mac Life, Conor McGregor talked about the importance of preparing for life after professional competition. He reveals that he’s been studying the careers of other pro athletes — both inside and outside the combat sports industry — as he gets ready for the next chapter of his life. Based on his answers, it appears that this research was a big part of his decision to launch ventures like his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey and his August McGregor clothing line.
“Athletic life is short right? As cruel as it sounds no-one really cares about the athlete post-career,” McGregor said “I mean it’s as simple as that and that’s not just fighting it’s in any sport. So, I have studied many athletes’ careers both in combat sport and in professional sport and just analyzed it. I saw the do’s and the don’t and things that can create an afterlife in the game. For, me I’ve just gone down things I’m passionate about. I went down the fight game because I’m passionate about it – I wouldn’t have reached the levels I’ve reached in the fight game without having passion for it. And the whiskey game, the fashion game you know.”
Conor McGregor last fought in the Octagon at UFC 246, when he ended Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in just 40 seconds.
Before his last win over Cerrone, McGregor had not had his hand raised in victory since November of 2016, when he stopped Eddie Alvarez to become a 2-division UFC champion. After beating Alvarez, he lost to the undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. in one of the biggest combat sports spectacles of all time back in 2017. In his MMA comeback fight he was forced to tap out by the undefeated UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
This article first appeared on CLOSEDGUARDMEDIA.com on 27th February, 2020.
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