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Thursday, Jul 13, 2017

Showtime Exec Comments on Conor McGregor Calling Him a “Weasel”

McGregor (left) and Mayweather (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Most folks understood that Conor McGregor would be hurling more insults at Floyd Mayweather yesterday, but when the UFC champ called Showtime exec Stephen Espinoza a “f–kin weasel”, it likely raised a few eyebrows.

McGregor and Mayweather faced off in Toronto yesterday, in what was the second stop of the media tour to promote their August 26th, boxing match. At the tour’s first stop on Monday, in Los Angeles, McGregor’s mic went out, and the Irish star accused Showtime of deliberately cutting it. Espinoza released a statement, insisting that the company hadn’t intended to do so, but at the presser on Tuesday, McGregor proceeded to insult the exec, straight to his face.

Afterwards, Espinoza was asked about the verbal shots he had received, and here is some of what he had to say (quote via MMA Fighting):

“I’m not sure whether it’s part of the show,” Espinoza said. “I’m not sure how much is a put on. It seemed more than that. It certainly wasn’t a wink and a nod. And it wasn’t backstage saying, ‘Hey, I’m doing it for the good of the show.’ The reality is you see what some athletes — whether combat sports or otherwise — the need to invent enemies and invent opponents to motivate. He’s obviously got that in Floyd. If this is part of his process of imagining the world against him and motivating himself, then that’s his his process.

“I’m a big boy. It’s certainly not somebody that has come after me as a network. It did take me a little bit by surprise, but it’s part of the entertainment value of the McGregor business.”

Espinoza also praised Mayweather for his “professionalism”, and when he was asked if that means he believes McGregor wasn’t being professional, the Showtime exec said he was going to “sleep on it”.

posted by FCF Staff @ 10:47 am
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