Why Werdum will be cheering for Mayweather
Fabricio Werdum: “11 out of 10 fighters will say they don’t like him because he respects nobody. I’d be 100 percent on his side if he respected others.”
Most MMA fighters are happy for Conor McGregor and the reported $30 million purse he will receive Saturday night (plus a presumably larger cut of the PPV). However, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, who got in a bitter Twitter quarrel with Notorious last year, is not among them.
“I don’t think he represents MMA,” said Werdum to Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting. “I don’t think he represents me, and many fighters think like that because [McGregor] doesn’t respect other fighters, Werdum told MMA Fighting. “That’s the only reason. If he respected fighters more, every MMA fighter would have his back.
“Fans love McGregor, but 11 out of 10 fighters will say they don’t like him because he respects nobody. I’d be 100 percent on his side if he respected others, but he only cares about himself.”
“I want Mayweather to win to show him that boxing is different. If it was the opposite, a boxer fighting MMA, I’d root for MMA. That’s why I’m rooting for boxing.
“[McGregor] is really smart, does good business and will make millions. He has created this character and I see some people try to be like him, but you have to be yourself. It’s ugly when a fighter changes the way he is and tries to be like somebody else. [McGregor] was always like this, controversial, the things he does, and selling a lot. He’s smart, but he doesn’t have my support.”
“He obviously has a chance. It’s a fight. His chances are minimal, but he’s good in getting into people’s heads — and I think he already got into Mayweather’s head. But I can’t see him beating Mayweather.”
