The Dark Side of the PPV Star
By Eddie Sanchez
Sports fans of all kinds can pin-point specific moments where they were in awe of their favorite athletes. Whether as a child or adult, the star-struck admiration is not a unique feeling.
It is likely that this feeling comes from individuals recognizing that these athletes wake up and put their pants on the same way we do each morning, but that they also have abilities that seem unreal.
There are many times however that we are reminded of their mortality. Whether it’s a tragic death, career threatening injury or legal issues, it is then understood that these people are just as human as the rest of us. They are no less prone to mistakes.
Unfortunately, there are moments when there are actions that go much further than a mistake. Far too often there are flat out horrors that go on within the industry that remind us to humble our opinions of these individuals.
One of the most infamous examples was Mike Tyson being found guilty or raping an 18-year old woman in 1991. He went on to spend three years in prison before returning to the ring as the PPV star and broke multiple box office records at the time.
Another example is Floyd Mayweather Jr. who spent three months in prison for domestic violence against the mother of his children, Josie Harris. It was particularly disturbing because his children were said to be present during the altercation.
Mayweather had been accused of similar incidents over the years, but despite this was granted a delayed sentencing so he could complete his PPV fight against Miguel Cotto in 2012.
Following his time served, he signed the largest boxing deal at the time (still largest per fight) with Showtime Sports and continued his run as the ultimate PPV star where he fought the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Connor McGregor to earn the two highest earning fights of all time.
The latter mentioned Conor McGregor was recently arrested for an alleged sexual assault in France. Given that these are fresh allegations, there are many questions yet to be answered on both sides, though he categorically denies the claims that he exposed himself to a young married woman.
Dana White of the UFC had the following troubling statements regarding this fluid situation:
“That kind of a life, crazy sh*t happens when you’re in that type of lifestyle,” he told reporters after UFC Vegas 10. “You try to go out and act normal and be normal, and it’s hard to do sometimes.”
“I’m not defending Conor in any way, shape, or form. I don’t know enough about the situation to talk about it all. But I do know I’ve gone out with him before, and it’s batsh*t nuts.”
Dana’s nonchalant response is not an uncommon feeling with these situations, although his willingness to speak on the matter is.
Conor has found himself in trouble with the law on a few occasions before. McGregor has reportedly been questioned over two alleged sexual assault incidents in Dublin, though not much is publicly known about those cases. He has also thrown a steel dolly at a UFC bus and punched an older man in a Dublin pub.
Despite his past, he claims that there is video evidence proving his innocence with this claim and because of that, he views this as a set-up.
TMZ documented the following statements that McGregor has since deleted on social media:
“Try set me up all yous f*cking want over and over and over the truth will always set me free! Be it baby father claims, rape, indecent exposure, bullsh*t WhatsApp group sh*t. You f*cking name it. Never will I fold!”
He continued, “The truth is the truth and it gives me wings. I know my character!”
“God bless DNA! God bless Cctv! God bless Eye witness! God bless the truth! The truth is power! I am free!”
“Never will a dime be paid to anyone coming at me with vicious lies! Not now not f*cking ever! I will fight! And I am only beginning my fight!”
“All these past incidents you will see! They will not be forgotten! I will not allow these people to just accuse me and then disappear into the dark to attempt to ruin someone else life! No f*cking way!”
Over the next few months, we will keep tabs on the situation for updates, but for now it is important to recognize that these people we often admire are just that. People.
