Dana White thinks Conor McGregor and Mike Tyson are two of the smartest men in the world when it comes to fighting.
The UFC boss helped ‘Notorious’ become a global superstar worth £200million, but it wouldn’t have been possible without stellar performances inside the Octagon.
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McGregor ruthlessly cycled through the featherweight division before knocking out long-time champion Jose Aldo to take his newfound fame to extraordinary heights in 2015.
The Irishman won another belt at lightweight before cashing in on his celebrity status with a crossover boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather, which earned him $100 million.
Tyson had a similarly destructive run in boxing before losing his undisputed heavyweight championship in the biggest upset of all time to Buster Douglas in 1990.
White believes his biggest UFC star and “Iron Mike” share a key trait that makes them great.
The MMA mogul says McGregor and Tyson have “off-the-charts” fighter IQs.
Fight IQ is essentially ring or octagon intelligence. More than mastery of technique, it’s the art of understanding when to do certain things during a fight and the ability to make adjustments in the heat of the moment.
“When you hear him speak, he talks very clearly about the fight,” White said of McGregor on the In Search of Excellence podcast.
“Again, when you talk about fighter IQ. As, [Mike] Tyson, Conor’s fighter IQ is off the charts.
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White also praised McGregor’s business acumen after he went from collecting welfare checks before his UFC debut to heading Forbes’ 2021 Athlete Rich List.
He added: “Conor is a fantastic businessman. »
“I mean, Conor is one of the best partners, if not the best, that we’ve ever had when it comes to doing business with anyone.
“If you look at all the brands he’s built off his brand, [he’s a] a very, very intelligent child.
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McGregor hasn’t fought in almost three years, but he remains the UFC’s biggest star as he has remained in the spotlight since his injury in July 2021.
The 35-year-old will make his comeback against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 – but first, both men are expected to embark on a world tour to promote the event.
A win would put McGregor in contention for a title shot and a loss would leave his MMA career in limbo.
Whatever happens, White is confident that McGregor will be fine because he has the fighter IQ to get back on track and the business brain to make money from MMA if he wants to.
