Speaking on the Sunday Sports Pages on Off The Ball, Paul Kimmage and Gary O'Toole looked back on the night's action as Conor McGregor was beaten at UFC 196.
In the lead up to the event in Las Vegas, McGregor was his usual brash self, but for Paul Kimmage, that aspect of his personality has been one of his weaknesses.
"It's interesting, as an Irish person you always root for your own and want your own to do well. I've got great admiration for McGregor, a working class kid who has come from his background and done what he's done. It's a fantastic achievement, and you have to admire that.
"But there's another part of me that's not too disappointed that he lost. A lot of the stuff that he's come out with now in defeat has been really objectionable and obnoxious. We like our champions to be gracious and have a sense of humility and we haven't seen any of that from him at all".
Kimmage also stated that "this will be a lesson for him, and I've heard the interviews with him and it's quite obvious that he got a right kick in the nuts. He needs to learn from that now and move on and hopefully he'll be a better person because of it".
Former Olympian Gary O'Toole added his admiration for McGregor and what he has achieved, as "he goes out there, he puts himself out there and you have to stand back and admire someone who, up until last night, always backs it up".
"No matter what you say about anyone, to be the best in the world at anything takes ferocious discipline, no matter what".
However, O'Toole did feel that the hype train had overtaken him somewhat and that "people now, who woke up this morning and were indifferent to his defeat, aren't allowed to be indifferent. You're supposed to be outraged that McGregor has lost this and as an Irish person you're less Irish if you're not annoyed that Conor McGregor has lost".
The panel discussed the 'true face' of Conor McGregor, and whether or not the mask will now slip in defeat, which O'Toole felt was something that was possibly evident in the way that he has been acting before now.
"There is a sense with Conor McGregor that he is winking behind it all, that we're on in this joke together and if you're not in on this joke then don't follow me or don't get upset.
"There seemed to be this understanding that Conor has with people who are intelligent enough to realise that it is actually a pantomime. People need to understand that it's real in the octagon, but everything outside of that is a pantomime or a charade".
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