Dana White And Conor McGregor Make A Mockery Of UFC Fighter Conduct Policy

Believe it or not, there is a UFC Fighter Conduct Policy

Aug 18, 2019

Apparently refusing Conor McGregor's sugary (yes, I tasted it, it's like an extra-sugar version of Jameson) Whiskey is enough to get one socked in the head. That's allegedly the reason McGregor landed a left to the dome of a patron of the Marble Arch in Dublin on April 6.

TMZ released video of the incident last week. On Saturday, "The Sun" reported that before earning himself a free punch to the melon, the man told McGregor, "I don't want to drink that shit" when offered a shot of Proper Number Twelve. "The Sun" also reported that the blow, which didn't even seem to stun the man, has earned the UFC fighter a minor assault charge. Which, when you consider the other charges McGregor's accumulated over the last short while should be a bit concerning.

However, UFC president Dana White, the man who makes McGregor rich and himself wealthier every time the Irish fighter steps into the octagon, didn't seem the least bit concerned that the most famous fighter in promotional history has added another charge to his expanding list of run-ins with the law. In fact, White seemed to chalk McGregor's actions as just another knuckleheaded fighter with self-control issues getting too much money.

"When you deal with fighters, guys who fight for a living, there's always something," White told Jim Rome. "If you look at some of the greatest – Tyson – if you look what Tyson went through in his peak, every time you take a guy who is a professional fighter and you sprinkle a ton of money on top of it, get ready. Get ready for a disaster."

"You get to the point where you look at a guy like Conor, and you look at the bus incident in New York and all the other things. You look at the camera, the phone and the guy who took the picture of him in Miami when he slaps the phone. What's the number? What's it going to cost Conor McGregor before he decides, 'All right, this isn't worth it. Enough is enough. I need to stop doing this,'" White said. "The incident in New York cost him millions. Millions he had to pay out. He had to pay the guy with the phone. What's he going to pay this guy that he hit in the bar? The list just goes on and on. I just don't know when he wakes up and says,' I've got to stop doing this.'"

You'll notice that White conveniently leaves out the role he plays in all of this. The UFC president also ignores the control he has over McGregor's future, as well as the role he can play in waking up the Irish fighter.

White could have suspended McGregor for his role in "the bus incident." White could have fined McGregor for "the guy with the phone." White can suspend McGregor for "this guy he hit in the bar."

White didn't do anything in the first two incidents and he doesn't plan to do anything about the sucker punch in the bar. White told TSN that if McGregor asked to be on the upcoming Madison Square Garden card that he would accommodate the former two-division UFC champ. Which, yeah, not a shock, because if McGregor makes millions from a fight under the UFC banner, White stands to make exponentially more than the fighter.

The most telling part of White's brief exchange with Aaron Bronsteter came when the UFC boss was asked if a code of conduct applies to McGregor.

Aaron Bronsteter @aaronbronsteter

Dana White on whether this latest Conor McGregor incident would preclude him from booking McGregor on an upcoming card and he reveals the age of the individual who McGregor punched.

White repeats the question quietly, "Is there a code of conduct that applies to him?" He then answers, "That was a civil matter that happened in a bar with him and some guy that nothing ever came out of it. Nothing ever came of it." Which, of course, is a slick way of saying that the UFC Code of Conduct, which is an actual thing that does exist, does not apply to McGregor.

The UFC Fighter Conduct Policy doesn't state that a fighter needs to be convicted — or even charged — with a crime to violate the code of conduct. McGregor socking some random bar patron in the mouth for refusing his offer of a drink does violate the code of conduct. Throwing the hand truck through the bus window also violated the code of conduct as did throwing the man's phone on the ground.

The UFC Fighter Conduct Policy states, "Fighters shall conduct themselves in accordance with commonly accepted standards of decency, social convention, and morals, and fighters will not commit any act or become involved in any situation or occurrence or make any statement which will reflect negatively upon or bring disrepute, contempt, scandal, ridicule or disdain to the fighter or the UFC."

So, yes, McGregor violated the code of conduct, but doing anything about that would affect the UFC's bottom line and White's ability to throw $1 million birthday parties for his kids. With that consideration, it's easy for White to come up with some excuse to allow McGregor to continue to act a fool without a single repercussion from the promotion.

I would argue that White's claims would also violate the code of conduct because saying something so preposterous opens White up for "contempt," "ridicule" and "disdain."

It's pathetic that White ignores every misstep McGregor makes in the interest of making more money. If White wants to see who could step in and have some influence on McGregor, all he needs to do is look in the mirror. He won't, but he should.

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Music Time

John Coltrane - Blue World

Someone found a lost Coltrane LP that was recorded the same year as “A Love Supreme,” which is just insane to me. Anyone, it’s coming out in September.