Former WWE and WCW star Goldberg has slammed Conor McGregor in an interview, criticising the MMA fighter’s prior to his now-cancelled match at UFC 200 and saying that the Irishman should have been a “more respectful champion.”
In an interview with The Sport Bible, Goldberg discusses his history with the sport, saying: “I owned the largest MMA gym in the country back in the late nineties, before it was even cool. I greatly appreciate where the sport has come, how it’s evolved, and Conor McGregor is an example of how it’s evolved.”
However, Goldberg then went on to criticise McGregor for his recent behaviour, along with his penchant for trash talking prior to his bouts. The former pro wrestler continued: “Unfortunately, for a guy like Conor McGregor, us old school guys like us don’t really appreciate the trash talking and all that kind of stuff… whether it be Jon Jones or whether it be Conor McGregor, if you’re a champion, you have to do the things that champions do, and you’re no different than anyone else.”
Referencing the events prior to UFC 200, in which McGregor was dropped from his rematch against Nate Diaz after failing to attend promotional events for the bout, Goldberg continued: “When you don’t fulfill those responsibilities… you’re not special. If they [the UFC] break the rules for you, then they’re part of the problem.”
He concluded: “I greatly appreciate and admire his ability, but I think he could be a little bit more of a respectful champion.”
Goldberg is currently co-owner of the Extreme Power Gym in California, an amateur boxing and Muay Thai facility, and though he has never participated in an official MMA bout, he has previously expressed his appreciation for the sport. He is currently promoting the upcoming video game WWE 2K17, in which he makes a special appearance as a pre-order bonus.
Check out the interview below:
