Tyron Woodley isn’t ready to forgive and forget when it comes to Conor McGregor’s apology for using a homophobic slur backstage at UFC Fight Night in Poland.
The situation unfolded after Artem Lobov lost to Andre Fili on the preliminary portion of the card and McGregor was consoling his teammate while they walked through the backstage area of the production. McGregor could be heard on film saying the homophobic slur f***** at least three different times.
McGregor later apologized and said he meant no disrespect to anyone in the LGBT community, especially after he supported the movement to legalize gay marriage in Ireland in 2015.
Woodley says that excuse simply doesn’t fly with him.
“I’m fired up about Conor McGregor. He was using homophobic slurs. How many passes do we give this dude?” Woodley said when speaking to TMZ.com.
“That’s like the person that drops the ‘N’ bomb and says ‘I’m not racist, I’ve got three black friends and I had them over for dinner last night’. I gave him a pass during the Floyd Mayweather fight. He was using the term ‘boy’ [and] ‘monkey], words that have had very, very negative racial undertones in the past but I’ve got a problem with this.”
McGregor did come under fire during the build up for his fight against Floyd Mayweather for some of the racially charged statements he made during a string of press conferences to promote the fight.
This latest incident with McGregor using a homophobic slur ended with his apology and the UFC has made no formal statement regarding the matter other than UFC president Dana White saying that the athletes on the roster needed to be ‘educated’ better.
Woodley says McGregor’s excuse and apology still don’t make it right what he said and a star of his stature should set a better example while also understanding that everything he says and does will be scrutinized in the public spotlight.
“When you’re a celebrity of that stature and you’re making that kind of money, you need to have a PR person on staff and you need to have a bit more of a social conscience when you’re saying things,” Woodley said. “You know cameras are going to be on you at all times. He don’t get a pass on this one from me.”
Woodley actually commends McGregor on the status he’s built in the sport where he’s become the biggest draw in the history of the UFC, but that doesn’t mean he’s held to some higher standard than anybody else using that kind of language.
“We’re in a different society now. Everybody should be treated equally and you can’t do that. With that said, no, for me you’re not getting a pass,” Woodley said.
“Now Conor McGregor’s evolved, he’s a businessman, I would never hate on him for the things he’s done for the sport and for himself but with that said much is given, much is required. You do not get a pass from me, brother. He needs to sit down and be humble.”
