There seems to be a bit of a go-to formula when a 'mainstream' media outlet interviews Conor McGregor. Get him to talk about (a) his 'rough around the edges' upbringing, (b) his love of the good life these days and finally (c) his thoughts on fighting Floyd Mayweather.
The interim featherweight champion has well and truly crossed into realm of mainstream appeal and as such, when he does an interview with a publication such as the Guardian, he doesn't even bother turning up on time anymore. Being the UFC's big draw (Ronda Rousey aside) is par for the course and interviews like this are ten a penny and once again that classic formula is adhered to.
There's the usual soundings of a cross-discipline fight against Floyd Mayweather which, let's be honest, is becoming a bit silly at this stage.
There's the story of how he spent all weekend shopping with his girlfriend in Vegas, hence why he was late for the interview.
We got a nice suite overlooking the Strip, at the Cosmopolitan. And we went shopping for 10 hours straight yesterday. I got us a limo and we stuffed it with shopping bags so it was a great day and then we had a great night.
And, completing McGregor interview bingo, there's the talk of his rise from 'claiming benefits in Dublin' to becoming king of the world. However, that's not to say it's not worth reading. McGregor inevitably offers up something noteworthy in every interview he does and perhaps most enlightening is this nugget which certainly reads like he really means it.
I never forget the struggles. I never forget where I came from. I never ever forget the hard times. I pinch myself because I am surrounded by luxury. But make no mistake – it’s luxury built on sacrifice.
As tends to happen, the narrative of McGregor's rise in the interview is invariably built upon his time as a plumber in Dublin. Without denigrating those that make a living out of it, McGregor has always been open about his disgust at the thought of spending his life as a plumber. And that's something the Guardian seem to take quite an interest in with this sentence standing out in particular.
McGregor remembers being lost at 17 and on a desolate road to becoming a plumber.
This idea of McGregor fighting his way out of Dublin to gain prosperity is one which he has accepted and is more than happy to talk about but 'desolate road' is pushing things a bit far, surely? He was a plumber in Dublin when there was money to be made, not a chimney sweep in Victorian London.
