Retired UFC contender Chael Sonnen has lambasted Conor McGregor's coach John Kavanagh for not backing his fighter during the pair's recent dispute with the UFC.
The polarising MMA analyst claims Kavanagh backtracked following McGregor's insinuation that he was to retire from the sport last week, and that his comments compromised his fighter's definitive stance in a delicate tug-of-war.
His coach cannot be putting anything out about him ever. Period. Ever. Because he doesn't get it!
Respectfully, coach Kavanagh, you don't get it. You don't get it! Your student does. He gets it. Conor knows what's going on.
Every time you talk and think you're helping him, you're not. You're hurting the cause. You have to stop!
In reference to a McGregor tweet in which the 27-year-old claimed it was the UFC's turn to make a move towards reinstating him on the mega-event that will be UFC 200, Sonnen again criticised his coach's reaction:
Conor cannot put a post saying 'money made, bills paid, game slayed. Your move,' which means 'I do not care what happens, I'm handled either way. It's your move.'
He can't do that and three days later have you [Kavanagh] come out saying hey fans, please petition and get him back.
You can't do it! It's never good for a trainer or manager to do this. Whether it comes from a good place or not, you look like you're trying to get paid.
Ur call now. You are the customers. What do you want? Press conferences or fights? Make some noise because we're ready to do the damn thing!
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) April 21, 2016
Sonnen continued:
If one guy is sitting there, and the whole hand he's playing is 'I got enough, I don't need to do it. Won the title, got the money, don't care, having a great life.' If he's playing that, that's a pretty good hand! But you can't show cracks in it.
You're talking about UFC 200, UFC New York, and why we're blacklisted. Wait a minute, I thought the game was slayed, the bills were paid, and the money was made? That was their move! Now you're begging to get on a card?
You guys have got to get on the same page. You want to hustle some hustlers, you better believe you've got to be on the same page! You can't have one guy say I don't give a damn, and have his trainer say 'boy, we sure would like to fight, can someone send some tweets in our favor?' It doesn't work.
Once there's a crack, it's unraveled, and the gig is up! You want to fight. You need the fight. The bills are not paid, the money is not made, and the game damn sure hasn't been slayed.
That's the reality. We all knew that, and it was cool when it came out, but your own guy outed you.
The reality from the fans' perspective, of course, is that McGregor will not fight at Las Vegas' new T-Mobile Arena this July - meaning many fans who booked tickets, flights and so on have been left disappointed.
However, former Connacht, Leinster and Munster rugby player Shane Monahan did capture some footage of John Kavanagh 'negotiating' with someone who looks a lot like Dana White, so perhaps there is hope yet, however slim...
Negotiations for #UFC200 with @John_Kavanagh @danawhite and @TheNotoriousMMA are still ongoing! #snapchat @mono2000 pic.twitter.com/8xG1W3U1IM
— Shane Monahan (@themainmanmono) April 28, 2016
@themainmanmono @danawhite @TheNotoriousMMA @mono2000 i'm sure this will be taken as the light hearted joke its meant to be....
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) April 28, 2016
At the very least, it's decent sparring ahead of any future round table battle.
You can listen to Sonnen's interview in full below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTeU3m4zQiY
