Conor McGregor heard Dana White’s news conference response to his recent tweets and returned to the social media platform to issue a firm riposte of his own.
McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was criticized by White after the former two-division champion made public a series of private messages between the pair concerning potential future bookings, and the Irishman’s decision to break White’s confidence didn’t sit well with the UFC president.
Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, after UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi, White said McGregor’s move was “Just something you don’t do. It’s one of the dirtiest things you can do.”
White had turned down McGregor’s request to face Sanchez in a May event in Los Angeles, saying the leaked private messages that the UFC would lose its promoter’s license if it booked the fight. He then doubled down on his opposition to the matchup in the post-fight press conference and told reporters, “When you’re the No. 2 or 3 ranked guy in the world and you’re telling me you want to fight, but you want to fight unranked 39-year-old Diego Sanchez in a main event in Los Angeles – no.”
White also batted away the suggestion of McGregor facing Manny Pacquiao in a boxing match, which McGregor has tweeted, saying simply, “I have no idea.”
But in a tweeted response to White’s comments, McGregor disputed White’s line, saying White has been involved in talks about the potential matchup. He also was unrepentant about leaking the private messages, and pointed the finger at White in reply.
“Code was broke when you lied about me turning down fights mate,” McGregor posted. “I said Justin (Gaethje) in May and you went and said I did not want to fight. It’s not about Diego (Sanchez). Diego was a filler to get more fights in.
“Also you have been involved in Manny talks, the legal letters are there. Stop lying.”
Conor McGregor responds to Dana White’s ‘man code’ criticism, tells UFC president to ‘stop lying’
