7 Biggest Conor McGregor Controversies
3. Calling German Fighter Dennis Siver A Nazi
After defeating perennial contender Dustin Poirier by first-round KO at UFC 178, most assumed that McGregor would be close to a title shot.
After all, up to that point, all of McGregor's UFC fights had represented a step up in competition based on his previous opponent when they happened. So when Dana White announced the Irishman would fight longtime gatekeeper, Dennis Siver at UFC Fight Night 59, more than a few eyebrows were raised.
As had already become a hallmark of McGregor's style by this point, he used his mastery of psychology to verbally decimate Siver in the lead-up to the bout. McGregor said of the veteran fighter:
He's muscular but he's really small. He's a weird looking, deformed looking guy. He was caught cheating at one stage in his career. He was on the steroids and he got banned for it so I think when you take some of the stuff like that your body becomes weird.
In an effort to promote further their fight, McGregor posted a photo of the two facing off with the German Siver with the caption 'Kiss my feet Nazi'. After facing a backlash online for his inflammatory comments, McGregor posted an 'apology' on Twitter.
The fight itself saw McGregor drop his overmatched opponent with his signature left straight in the second round, before finishing the fight with a barrage of punches. McGregor then climbed over the cage to get in then-UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo's face and stake his claim to the next title shot.