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UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards lauds Conor McGregor for his contributions to MMA.
McGregor, a former UFC dual-champion, is the highest pay-per-view draw in company history. He is undoubtedly the biggest star – crossing over to boxing, as well as recently making his Hollywood debut in the “Road House” remake with Jake Gyllenhaal.
Edwards recognizes McGregor’s achievements, and praises him for helping him elevate the sport.
“I think he’s great for the sport,” Edwards said on the “Up Front With Simon Jordan” podcast. “He has definitely brought the sport forward to the casual fans. He is one of those guys that you either like him or you don’t like him, but he is who he is. What he’s achieved in the sport, you can’t take away from him.
“He did become the first ever two-division world champion. So even though he talks all that sh*t, he is actually a good fighter, as well, behind it. He definitely helped the sport. He didn’t take nothing away from it. He definitely gave more in terms of pushing it into the mainstream.”
When host Simon Jordan brought up McGregor’s legal issues, Edwards clarified that it’s his work inside the octagon that he’s a fan of.
“I’m not an admirer of his,” Edwards said. “I’m judging him from the competitive part of it, the self-promotion part of it. His personal life is his own business. I couldn’t give two sh*ts about his personal life. It’s more about what he’s achieved in the game, his self-promotion part of it. To each their own. He’s not my mate.”
Inactive since July 2021, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is expected to return from injury against Michael Chandler, but an official date has yet to be set.
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