Chael Sonnen is a fan of Conor McGregor inside and outside of the cage.
Shocking, right?
As one of the greatest trash-talkers and entertainers in UFC history, Sonnen would naturally gravitate toward a rising contender who has followed the American Gangster's blueprint for fight promotion.
McGregor, already one of the most talked about fighters in the UFC despite being signed for under two years, is currently ranked No. 5 in the featherweight division, and he's quickly becoming the No. 1 contender to Jose Aldo's golden trophy.
Speaking on Bruce Buffer's podcast, It's Time, Sonnen talked about McGregor's ability to generate interest before, during and after a fight, commending the Irish fighter's commitment to the promotional side of MMA.
"When I watch people talk about Conor McGregor and say that he’s talking trash, they don’t understand what he’s doing and not listening to his interviews,” Sonnen said (h/t MMAjunkie.com for the transcription). “Conor’s not talking trash. There’s some stuff getting thrown in there, sure. There are some guys he’s bringing down. He’s talking himself up."
Sonnen went on to say that McGregor is one of the few fighters in the game today who fully grasps the importance of pre- and post-fight interviews. In Sonnen's eyes, a fighter should use those moments wisely. Instead of tossing out cliches or uninspired one-liners, a fighter should elevate his stock and shine the spotlight on him or herself, which is exactly what McGregor has done thus far in his UFC run.
"Some of these guys just don’t understand it, and what Conor McGregor is more than he’s a great trash talker, he’s a great entertainer," Sonnen continued.
After praising McGregor's out-of-the-cage abilities, Sonnen turned his attention to McGregor's actual fighting skills, an area where the Irishman doesn't exactly suffer.
McGregor is 4-0 in the UFC with three first-round stoppages, and he's set to face Dennis Siver on Jan. 18 in Boston in a fight that, if he wins, will probably propel him to the title shot.
Once there, though, Sonnen isn't sure how McGregor will fare.
"To speak to Conor’s skills, I think everything is in place there,” Sonnen said. “Is he good enough to beat the top three? Frankie Edgar, one of the greatest of all-time, Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo, one of the greatest of all time? I don’t know. We’ll just have to see. I would be very impressed if he did.”
Personally, I think Sonnen is on point. McGregor, while impressive so far, hasn't faced an elite challenger yet in his UFC run (and for what it's worth, I don't think defeating Siver will alter that narrative).
Dustin Poirier, McGregor's best win thus far, is a far cry from Edgar or Mendes, let alone Aldo. McGregor defeated The Diamond in the first round, which is what a title-worthy challenger should do.
Still, such a victory does not necessarily mean a fighter is ready for the top. McGregor may very well represent the future at 145 pounds, but until he proves it against an Edgar, a Cub Swanson or a Chad Mendes, it's hard to favor him in a fight against Aldo based solely on "potential."
The good news for fight fans? McGregor isn't going anywhere. You're going to keep hearing about it, and we're going to find out just how good he is sooner rather than later.
