In the 1960s, a young Muhammad Ali did a radio programme with the wrestler Gorgeous George, and Ali was struck by the wrestler's arrogance and swagger. George said to Ali: "Keep on braggin', keep on sassin, and always be outrageous". Ali was struck by the fact that his attitude made Georgeous George so damn unlikable: so obnoxious was his attitude that customers turned up in their droves just to watch him lose.
Any McGregor/Ali comparisons are largely nonsensical, but some similarities can be drawn in McGregor and Ali in terms of massive self-confidence, aggressive marketing of themselves and a proclivity for insulting opponents. Sadly, when that public self-confidence is not backed up by victory, enemies come out from the woodwork, and many did in response to UFC 196:
Raphael Dos Anjos
Soft!!!!
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) March 6, 2016
This is not feather weight
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) March 6, 2016
Dos Anjos also retweeted this:
Jiujitsu it's the greatest... Because it educates.. Humbleness is a must to all of us @nickdiaz209 is an educator ;) pic.twitter.com/akB9yOCwUj
— Renzo_Gracie_BJJ (@RenzoGracieBJJ) March 6, 2016
Jose Aldo
See ya at #UFC200, @TheNotoriousMMA. Your fairy tale is over. You got nowhere to run now. Time to a rematch, pussy. pic.twitter.com/67fmic8qxG
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) March 6, 2016
