Conor McGregor does not see Jones scandal as cautionary tale: I’m minding my own business

While Jon Jones' positive drug test for cocaine metabolites did hit a little close to home for rising star Conor McGregor, he does not…

By: Karim Zidan | 8 years ago
Conor McGregor does not see Jones scandal as cautionary tale: I’m minding my own business
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

While Jon Jones’ positive drug test for cocaine metabolites did hit a little close to home for rising star Conor McGregor, he does not see this as a cautionary tale for his own career trajectory.

Jones, who tested positive following a Dec. 4 out-of-competition drug test, was fined $25,000 and placed in rehabilitation in the immediate aftermath of the news being announced.

While McGregor is disappointed to see “good guy” Jones go through such tribulations following a fantastic title victory, he does not think this is a learning experience for his own circle of friends.

“I feel for the guy. Jon is a good guy. I’ve met him numerous times. He’s a good man. It is a pity what happened to him and I hope he gets help. It is what it is. I cannot put myself in another man’s mind frame. I’m focused on meself (sic) and my own journey. I keep my circle small – nobody gets in and nobody gets out.

“I’m minding my own business and doing my own thing.”

Asked if he could see any similarities between himself and retired fighter Chael Sonnen, McGregor said that he could not understand the comparison, and that fans have always compared him to others they hold dear.

“Chael is a cool guy; I like him but I don’t think we are similar. I think we are different people. It is what it is – people make comparisons everyday. The other day it was Muhammad Ali, a while ago it was the Diaz brothers.

“This is what people do, but I am me. Nobody but me.”

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About the author
Karim Zidan
Karim Zidan

Karim Zidan is a investigative reporter and feature writer focusing on the intersection of sports and politics. He has written for BloodyElbow since 2014 and has served as an associate editor since 2016. He also writes for The New York Times and The Guardian. Karim has been invited to speak about his work at numerous universities, including Princeton, and was a panelist at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival and the Oslo Freedom Forum. He also participated in the United Nations counter-terrorism conference in 2021. His reporting on Ramzan Kadyrov’s involvement in MMA, much of which was done for Bloody Elbow, has led to numerous award nominations, and was the basis of an award-winning HBO Real Sports documentary.

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