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The smoking gun is the light and magic ceremony at the beginning of his fights. His opponents are completely out of step and emasculated before the fight even begins.
When the fighter's names are called, Conor stands in the center of the octagon with the spotlight on him, just soaking in the cheer and admiration. His opponents do not seem equally prepared for this choreography. When it's their turn, they just stand in their corner, while being booed.
During that ceremony there is a concentration of energy and power transferred to Conor, while his opponents are completely stripped of their identity. This results in his competition trading in their strategy, for an undisciplined emotional reaction that favors Conor's counter striking style. It doesn't matter who they are or how much training they have done, a person is going to get emotional when they are cornered and subjugated. It is tantalizing, and yet difficult, to hit someone who has been "blessed" with the aura of invincibility.
His opponents are not just fighting a man; they are fighting an icon, the fans, and an organization that profits from their demise. Stacking the emotions against his opponent is especially true considering how much preferential treatment (manufacturing his career trajectory) and insider information (details of negotiations) Conor gets.
I blame the new ownership (WME) for this. They represent celebrities, artists, and athletes. They know what they are doing, and it is precisely why MMA needs a union. When you have one organization who controls the rankings, the matchmaking, and the event planning, then there is going to be foul play involved.
The dirty tactics are very similar to the tiger fight scene in gladiator:
Notice how Maximus doesn't know about the tigers before the fight begins. It is the same for Conor's opponents. They are not in the loop, and who knows what happens backstage; they might even be getting targeted, and "stabbed", on their way to the fight.
When the fighter's names are called, Conor stands in the center of the octagon with the spotlight on him, just soaking in the cheer and admiration. His opponents do not seem equally prepared for this choreography. When it's their turn, they just stand in their corner, while being booed.
During that ceremony there is a concentration of energy and power transferred to Conor, while his opponents are completely stripped of their identity. This results in his competition trading in their strategy, for an undisciplined emotional reaction that favors Conor's counter striking style. It doesn't matter who they are or how much training they have done, a person is going to get emotional when they are cornered and subjugated. It is tantalizing, and yet difficult, to hit someone who has been "blessed" with the aura of invincibility.
His opponents are not just fighting a man; they are fighting an icon, the fans, and an organization that profits from their demise. Stacking the emotions against his opponent is especially true considering how much preferential treatment (manufacturing his career trajectory) and insider information (details of negotiations) Conor gets.
I blame the new ownership (WME) for this. They represent celebrities, artists, and athletes. They know what they are doing, and it is precisely why MMA needs a union. When you have one organization who controls the rankings, the matchmaking, and the event planning, then there is going to be foul play involved.
The dirty tactics are very similar to the tiger fight scene in gladiator:
Notice how Maximus doesn't know about the tigers before the fight begins. It is the same for Conor's opponents. They are not in the loop, and who knows what happens backstage; they might even be getting targeted, and "stabbed", on their way to the fight.
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