LeBron James knows what it is like.
The basketball star has not always enjoyed the glory.
He has been beaten, he has suffered injury, and he has been through dark times in his career as the world's most famous NBA stars (until that upstart Steph Curry came along).
The Cleveland Cavaliers player has spoken before about how he is inspired by the Irish MMA star, and now he has sent the 27-year-old a message of inspiration from his own heart.
McGregor's loss to Nate Diaz stunned not only his fans, but the featherweight champion himself.
LeBron however feels that those who criticise the Drimnagh native don't understand what a true sportsman is, and what a champion he always will be, despite Saturday's defeat.
"Champions take lumps all the time. It doesn't make you less of a man. It doesn't make you less of a champion because you take an 'L'. It's not about how you react in the good of good; it's how you come back in the great (wake) of a loss or a defeat, when people say you're down."
LeBron previously spoke about how he agrees with McGregor's comments that people who talk about God-given talent are spouting bullsh*t.
And the former Miami Heat man feels that the Irish UFC star will bounce back from his stunning loss to Nate Diaz.
"I think he's as strong as who he was before that. (Name) any champion that's went down. Probably the greatest champion ever in Muhammad Ali went down before. So, it doesn't matter."
"We always get caught up in wins and losses. He will be a champion for the rest of his life and no one can take it away from him. It will always be a part of his resumé. It will always be a part of what goes on with him and he's determined to continue to prove doubters wrong.
"He's built that throughout his career and he will continue to do that as I've seen some of his quotes after the fight."
Frankie Edgar wants to help Conor Mc Gregor.
But rather than put an arm around the shoulder of the featherweight champion, 'The Answer' wants to also help himself in the process.
McGregor's descent back into the snake pit of the 145 division means he is likely to face either Edgar, or former champion Jose Aldo, in his next fight.
McGregor has been at the end of a minor backlash to his infamous trash-talking and his tapping out to Nate Diaz on Saturday night at UFC 196, and Edgar senses an opportunity.
Speaking to
MMA Junkie, The 145 fighter feels the only way that the Dubliner is going to be able to restore some of the lost sparkle is to fight him next, and not Jose Aldo again.
"Now he has doubters. He always had haters. Now, after a performance like that, he’s going to have even more haters. You want to prove those people wrong? Come in here and beat me. He does that, he’s going to silence those doubters. He goes and beats Aldo; he’s not going to silence anybody. People are still going to question him against me.”
John Kavanagh last night hinted that
Jose Aldo would be the preferred choice of the McGregor camp if a fight is to be arranged for UFC 200.
However, Edgar thinks the 27-year-old and Aldo could be a boring fight, and the featherweight champion needs to prove himself against the number one contender.
“I don’t know if (he) feels more comfortable because he knows he just beat (Aldo) the way he did. I don’t want to say scared, or coward, or whatever, but I just think that I’m the fight that would prove the doubters wrong."
John Kavanagh confirms who he wants Conor McGregor to fight next
Frankie Edgar is not going to be happy. Again.
The natural fit to face Conor McGregor, as the Irishman moves back down to featherweight later this year, looks set to be denied again in his ambition to fight the UFC champion.
McGregor's next fight inside the octagon is likely to be a title defence at 145, but his coach wants a familiar foe to oppose the 27-year-old next time out.
Speaking on the MMA hour on Monday evening, John Kavanagh is hopeful that Jose Aldo will be the next man to face the SBG fighter.
"I'm not too sure, there're a few offers there, that's really for him to decide. Let's see what the fans want. Me personally, maybe Aldo rematch. I'd like to see that again.
"I just think the first one, it was great for us, but it was a little bit unfulfilling, a little bit.
"Aldo has a fantastic set of skills, and he was a great champion and we didn't quite close the chapter on that one to see a proper fight. Stylistically it would be nice to watch, and it would be a great challenge."
"Or Frankie (Edgar) that would be a good fight too."
Ei tuossa yksipuolisuudesta ottelijana puhuta. Ei taida tyyliään muuttaa tappiosta huolimatta eli trash talkkia tulenee yhtälailla jatkossa. Mikä siinä häiritsee? Mukava sitä on seurata, kun ei niin vakavasti ota. Eihän normaalin itsetunnon omaava ihminen noista voi itseensä ottaa
