It seemed more than that. Dana White, on the other hand, had projected the event to take the top spot with relative ease. Conor McGregor, in the wake of Espinoza's post on social media, took to Twitter to nuke Espinoza for the way he responded to Dana White. at He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. Press J to jump to the feed. Espinoza, the Showtime Sports and Event Programming executive vice president and general manager, told MMA Fighting after the press tour stop here at Budweiser Stage that he was taken aback by McGregors overtures. He's obviously got that in Floyd. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). All Rights Reserved. What more can I say?". Try to see me in an uncomfortable position. Conor McGregor went after Stephen Espinoza and Showtime Sports during his Toronto press conference for his fight against Floyd Mayweather. It sounds arrogant, but its the truth. The likely culprits were the dozens of TV news crews using wireless mics that interfered with the frequencies we were using on stage.. Please logout and login again. Espinoza says he was caught off guard by McGregor's menacing antics at the Toronto MayMac press conference . Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor happened last August. Ponsson, a regular in the Spanish CEV Superbike series, joined the Ducati customer team on late notice as stand-in for the injured Tito Rabat. To set the record straight, at no time did Showtime or event productions intentionally cut microphones during Tuesdays kickoff event in Los Angeles, Espinoza said in a statement emailed to the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. It certainly wasnt a wink and a nod. MMA News: Dana White recalls 'incredible' moment when Conor McGregor When McGregor's mic cut out at a recent event in Los Angeles, the fighter referred to Espinoza as "a fucking weasel," while Espinoza denied messing with the audio. So there were some sound problems -- the cue when Conor came out, it wasn't ready; Floyd's video never played. why did mcgregor call espinoza a weasel - parkdistricttownhome.ca McGregor's anger towards Espinoza stemmed from an incident where the Irishman's mic was cut off. Ill leave it at that. Espinoza struggled to get through his speech promoting the pay-per-view event and thanking its many sponsors. Floyds worked with a lot of TV execs, and hes a loyal guy, but its not like hes attacking one of his kids.. Admits There Is Pressure To Beat Liam Smith My Career Is On, Oscar Valdez Rates Stevenson Better Than Haney And Davis IQ On Another, Joe Schilling Cleared Of Battery And Negligence Following Brutal Knockout At A Bar, ONE On Prime Video 8 Superlek Vs. Williams: Preview And Where To Watch Info, Glory Kickboxing Suspends Alistair Overeem For 12 Months Following Positive Test, ONE Friday Fights 8: Muay Thai, MMA, And Kickboxing Results, ONE On Prime Video 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty, ONE Friday Fights 11: Muay Thai And MMA Results, Karate One Premiere League Live From Rabat May 14th, Mikey Musumeci Promises To Entertain At ONE On Prime Video 10. McGregor was still not impressed, and let his feelings be knownthe next day in Toronto. He took issue with the interruption and threw shade at Stephen Espinoza on-stage. Cut the champ, champs mic off? On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). Malignaggi claimed on his YouTube channel: "This happened because I've got all the inside sources, Conor . "They're trying to catch me off guard. NFL Draft winners and losers: The Lions hit a home run on Day 2. Hell no. Eddie Hearn Joins Forces With Conor McGregor to Rip 'Weasel' Stephen That might not be what happened, though. Hell no.. If thats the way he wants to conduct himself, we as the network or me personally are not gonna change it. And while were at it, f*** Showtime too, you little weasel, McGregor said, walking over to Espinoza who was seated on stage near Mayweather. That isnt always the case with some of his opponents.. He had to apologise and this p****y apologised just to get tickets to the fight. AwfulAnnouncing.com is not an official web site for any media organization, professional sports league, team, or organization.Copyright 2020 www.AwfulAnnouncing.com - All Rights Reserved - Trademarks used herein are property of their respective owners. McGregor was upset that his microphone was cut off Tuesday during the MayMac World Tour stop in Los Angeles. Detroits whole picture comes into focus, and Will Levis FINALLY gets drafted. Espinoza and Showtime haveenjoyed a long and lucrative affiliation with Mayweather, leading UFC folks in McGregors camp to regard him with suspicion. Theyre trying to set me up at every turn out here, McGregor said. . Hell no! McGregor roared to the outdoor crowd in Toronto. I dont think they do a good job, and I think I could do better. That makes a lot of sense. Hell no. Its one of the things that you appreciate Floyd for. Sports, slammed Showtime Sports and Espinoza and vowed to never work with them again. Showtime VP Stephen Espinoza reveals what upset him most about Conor During stop #1 of the MayMac international media tour, Conor McGregor spoke at some length, and then . Im not sure if he thinks hes getting at Floyd through me. Fans booed throughout his time at the lectern, even as he spruiked the fighters and their respective records. It wasn't. Luke Rockhold has commented for the first time about his loss to Mike Perry at BKFC 41. 12:41 pm ET. When we did the Mayweather fight, I watched and took it all in, I just think all these guys, the guys who are promoting boxing today are bad at it, White said. It did take me a little bit by surprise, but its part of the entertainment value of the McGregor business., Im a big boy. There were a few minor technical difficulties on that first show, he said. Espinoza said the massive media interest in Tuesdays event led to McGregors radio silence. Wednesday's second leg, which was moved to the larger Budweiser Stage outdoor concert venue to accommodate the crowds, was largely deemed a victory for McGregor. Espinoza said hed even be willing to work with White, like he once did briefly when Zuffa owned Strikeforce, which had a broadcast deal with Showtime. Arnold Allen: No moral victory in Max Holloway fight, I got half my pay, I lost my winning streak, I missed out on a title shot. The little weasel responded to Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. Although Espinoza kept his cool, the Showtime executive did admit while on this week's episode of The MMA Hour that McGregor's words bothered him but more so on the fact that "The Notorious . This thing came together rather quickly and the entire format of this thing is to get the two fighters to interact with the fans and with each other. Then his mic was turned off. From our perspective, the way he runs press conferences de-emphasizes the fighter, and it emphasizes Dana, and thats backwards. "I'd like to sleep on it, but it took me by surprise," he said. You fooking weasel.. 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McGregor and Mayweather each had turns at the podium, which they primarily used to trash-talk each other. Showtime VP responds to Conor McGregor's profane rant and accusations Its one of the things that you appreciate Floyd for. Espinoza said any whispers that Showtime is trying to take away McGregors time would be foolish, because they want the back and forth between the two fighters. Im not sure whether its part of the show, Espinoza said. Look at you, you little fooking weasel. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. And it wasnt backstage saying, Hey, Im doing it for the good of the show. The reality is you see what some athletes whether combat sports or otherwise the need to invent enemies and invent opponents to motivate. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. The reason behind the back-and-forth was a Showtime press release revealing the number of pay-per-view buys McGregor vs. Mayweather had generated. Odds and lines subject to change. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Look at you, you little weasel. Get Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes full fight video highlights for Saturdays co-main event at BKFC 41. Who gives a fuck about the North American numbers when we are the GLOBAL KINGS you shmuck. Again, Im surprised. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The head of Showtime Sports said the network cant release inaccurate numbers just to placate the UFC. 6-keys: media/spln/boxing/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Im not sure how much is a put on. #ConorMcGregor #StephenEspinoza #BoxingCopyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such a. They were able to survive the battle and were not executed by the . McGregor said Showtime, which is producing the run-up to the fight, cut him off. Look at you, you little f***ing weasel. Espinoza clapped back at the UFC kingpin on social media, claiming that he had been honest with respect to the pay-per-view sales. Cut the champ-champs mic off? Espinoza admitted to not enjoying becoming part of the conversation during the tour and during fight week in August. "I'm a big boy It did take me a little bit by surprise, but it's part of the entertainment value of the McGregor business," Espinoza said. New York | Florida | Stockholm | Dublin | Singapore. I can see it in your eyes, youre a f***ing b****. Thats him., . Espinoza said that it was technical difficulties at Staples Center and not a Showtime choice to mute the Irishman. I can see it in your eyes, youre a fooking bitch. He goes at referees like that sometimes. Only, eventually, McGregors voice stopped coming across the airwaves. And during the heated build up to the blockbuster bout, the UFC superstar called Showtime's Espinoza a "weasel". Conor McGregor speaks to Stephen Espinoza at a press meet Conor McGregor has managed to pick fights with almost every noteworthy individual in the combat sports community. Thats not how business works. I dont have to be best friends with everybody I do business with. These pressers are meant to be absurd, so cutting off McGregor would be odd if it came from the top of the corporate ladder. Stephen Espinoza: "Floyd certainly has his flaws like we all do, but there's always been a sense of professionalism in everything he's done. Aug. 26, this man will be unconscious. Astonishingly, he offered a weasel reply. TORONTO One of Conor McGregors more stunning diatribes during a wild, raucous world tour stop Wednesday was when he ambled over to Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza on stage and called him a f*cking weasel twice. Clearly, thats what McGregor accomplished Wednesday in successfully answering Mayweathers digs, with stops on the fighters international promotional tour continuing Thursday at Brooklyns Barclays Center and Friday in London . This ones north of the border in Toronto. Successful people are generally successful because theyre very strong-willed and have strong opinions. He then punched a second podium mic to the floor. Please enter a valid email and try again. No.1! At the end of the day, Im a big boy and I still got two more opportunities to respond if I need to., Gervonta Davis Next 2 Big Possible Fights, Eubank Jr.s Career On The Line, Diaz Turns Himself In, Joe Schilling Cleared Of Battery And Negligence, Gervonta Davis Next 2 Big Possible Fights, Eubank, Henry Cejudo Already Looking Past His Fight With, WBO Champion Robeisy Ramirez Set To Defend His Belt, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. He also didn't rule out a proper retort of his own as the tour rolls on. Theres nothing these guys can do to faze me.. Read More. Void in ONT. Floyd certainly has his flaws like we all do, but theres always been a sense of professionalism in everything hes done. Thats Conor, Espinoza said. He also wasn't convinced McGregor (21-3 in MMA) was merely playing a character for the camera. All Rights Reserved. With 3 World Title bouts and a stacked card, ONE's groundbreaking U.S. debut goes down this Friday in Colorado. "You little weasel. If fight fans say they want to see another [UFC vs. boxing matchup], who am I to say, Nope, I dont like the guy across the table, so youre not gonna see it. Thats one of the things thats been wrong with combat sports and boxing in particular in the past. McGregor said f*ck Showtime at a press conference after the tour stop Tuesday in LA, referencing the mic gaffe. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Asked whether his patience was running even thinner after Fridays event in Brooklyn, where McGregorcalled him out on-stage, Espinoza replied, Its definitely thinner now. Conor McGregor also enters the squared circle for the first time. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor goes nuts on "weasel" Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza over the global pay-per-view (PPV) buys for his Floyd Mayweather boxing match. "But it took me by surprise. When we put something on it, when we say, Heres a Showtime Sports press release from Mayweather-Pacquiao or Mayweather-Mayweather, that has gone through lawyers and everyone has looked at it. The spars came in the lead up to McGregor's crossover boxing match with Mayweather in 2017, which he lost in ten rounds. Stephen Espinoza was caught off guard by McGregor blaming Showtime for cutting his microphone. pic.twitter.com/vwqPMcxG2I. Ahead of the fight, in the first edition of their multi-city media tour, Conor McGregor was being his usual abrasive self when he found his microphone cut off while speaking.