Let’s cut through the fluff: Conor McGregor hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since 2021, yet mainstream media outlets like ESPN and CNN won’t stop puffing up his legacy like he’s some untouchable deity of the fighting world. Sure, McGregor was a two-division champion, but what’s the deal with the constant glorification while ignoring the reality of inactivity? It’s almost as if these networks are hoping you’ll forget that he’s not the fighter he once was.

ESPN spins this narrative as if no one else deserves the spotlight. Are we really still idolizing him while fighters with active records are out here grinding for a shot? Meanwhile, networks like Fox Sports are caught in the same cycle, projecting McGregor as the face of MMA, allowing their audience to marinate in nostalgia instead of confronting the fact that he hasn’t fought in nearly three years. It’s cringe-worthy to see the corporate media massage ego narratives instead of reporting the hard truth.

The spectacle is sensationalism at its finest: keeping McGregor in the headlines serves the ratings while undermining deserving fighters who are hungry and ready to rise. It begs the question: Is it about the sport or merely filling air time with rehashed glory? One thing is clear: the corporate media is more interested in maintaining a brand than reporting the reality of an evolving sport.