Dana White admits ‘there will never be another Conor McGregor’

Conor McGregor is one of the most successful fighters ever — both financially and competitively. Given the Irishman’s monumental success, many fighters have attempted to emulate him in hopes of realizing similar heights.

That hasn’t surprised UFC President Dana White in the least.

“It happens,” White told Hashtag Sports this week (transcript via MMA Fighting). “When you see a guy who’s as successful as he is and he’s fun, I mean you see the guy’s fun and everything else, and you start thinking ‘well maybe if I act like this, I’ll have what he has’.”

Conor McGregor has not only filled his own bank account, but also generated mountains of cash for the UFC. Given how valuable he’s been, the UFC has unsurprisingly been on the prowl for fighters with similar star power.

While Dana White is optimistic he’ll eventually track down a fighter with the same mainstream appeal as McGregor, he doesn’t think the Irishman will ever be truly replaced or replicated.

“There’s only one Conor McGregor,” White said. “People will always ask me ‘do you think you’ll ever find another Conor McGregor, are you trying to find another Conor McGregor?’

“There will never be another Conor McGregor, but there will be somebody else who’s different in their own way and will become a star in their own way.”

Over the course of his illustrious combat sports career, McGregor has become a two division champion in two organizations (Cage Warriors and the UFC), headlined several of the biggest pay-per-views in UFC history, and even engaged in a blockbuster boxing match with undefeated pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr.

At present, the former champ doesn’t have a fight booked, though the expectation is that he will be coaxed back to the Octagon eventually.

What do you think of Dana White’s comments on Conor McGregor?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/30/2019.