Frank Mir: Conor McGregor Ruining What MMA Pioneers Built

Frank Mir’s 1st professional MMA fight was on July 14th, 2001. That very same day, a young Conor McGregor was celebrating his 13th birthday.

Over the course of Mir’s 17-year pro career, he’s seen MMA go through many changes. Mir’s first UFC fight was during the promotion’s bleakest period when they had been thrown off PPV. The company’s future looked worrying, to say the least. Since that time, the promotion has grown into a multi-billion dollar company.

Mir spoke to FanSided recently in regards to Conor McGregor’s most recent antics. According to Mir, Conor is tearing down much of what MMA’s pioneers worked so hard to build.

“Seeing Conor do that, on a personal note, it bugs me,” Mir said. “The guys like me, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes, we fought for years to not be considered a thug, and now you’re going to drag us back in. You are the most famous guy in our sport, the richest guy, the most notable character … People judge us [fighters] by our most notable face.”

Mir is one of many fighters in the sport who fear what will happen if Conor faces no or little repercussions.

“So with Conor being the most famous face and you give him a slap on the wrist, how do you deter other guys going down this path?” Mir asked.

Others are asking the same questions. What happens when other athletes learn that they can actually benefit in terms of popularity (or notoriety) by acting like Conor?

Still, others think it isn’t entirely up to athletic commissions and the UFC to try and control Conor. Stipe Miocic recently explained it’s not commissions which prevent him from acting like Conor does. He would have entirely other problems to worry about if he smashed a bus window.

“If I did that, honestly, my mom would destroy me. My wife would kill me.” Miocic said to ESPN, perhaps indicating it should be those in the McGregor house who keep Conor in check.