Fighting is just one aspect of a professional fighter’s job.
Fighters have sponsorship obligations to fulfill. They have to do interviews with an assortment of media outlets. And they may have to participate in promotional press conferences leading up the event that they’re competing on.
Featherweight champion Conor McGregor was originally scheduled to rematch Nate Diaz in the UFC 200 main attraction, but was pulled from the fight card after refusing to participate in the pre-fight promotion.
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Light heavyweight champion and FOX Sports analyst Daniel Cormier chimed in on the McGregor situation during a recent UFC 200 press conference in New York. The 205-pound titleholder said media obligations are just part of the job.
“We know it’s our jobs. It’s part of what comes with the job,” said Cormier.
“We make a lot of money to do this, so when they tell you to go do your obligations, you do it. Sometimes you don’t want to do it.”
Cormier sympathizes with McGregor wanting to focus on training without distraction to avenge his first UFC loss. But at the end of the day, a fighter has to show up at scheduled press conferences.
“In Conor’s situation, he does a lot more than any of us — all of us combined. He does more media than we do. In that sense, I can feel for him a little bit, but this is the big show,” said the light heavyweight champion.
“I know he lost. I know he needs to train. I sympathize with him, but this is the big show and it’s part of the job.”
