[Exclusive] Conor McGregor and Muhammad Ali Equal in Shannon Sharpe’s Eyes as Broncos Legend Concedes Defeat to UFC Champion

Shannon Sharpe might be righting a wrong! Last year, Shannon Sharpe called UFC Champion Conor McGregor, a “one-dimensional player.” However, this time he has something good to say about the 35-year-old.

Sharpe recently appeared on Cam Newton’s show to talk about the NBA, NFL, his Undisputed breakup, roasting Stephen A. Smith, and much more. During the ‘Funky Friday’ episode-which was exclusively released to EssentiallySports before its public release-they played a game, “sharp words,” wherein Sharpe had to predict who would win in a verbal sparring match.

In the episode releasing this Friday, Newton took the name of Conor McGregor, and Sharpe acknowledged that he hits below the belt when it comes to words. After admitting his defeat in the words war game, Sharpe further made a striking comparison between McGregor and Muhammad Ali, emphasizing their similar abilities to mentally dominate their opponents. Sharpe stated, “Conor is up there with Ali and you know Conor is up there with Ali, as far as being able to get into an opponent’s head, and the things that he says, the quick wittedness that he possesses, yeah Conor is on a different level.”

Sharpe’s comments highlight the unique mental strategies both fighters use to gain an edge over their competitors. Ali was renowned for his charismatic and taunting style, which often unsettled his opponents before they even stepped into the ring. Sharpe sees McGregor in a similar light, acknowledging his adeptness at using verbal jabs and psychological tactics to disrupt his rival focus. However, it’s not only Sharpe! President of UFC, Dana White, also admitted that McGregor is at the same level as Ali when it comes to “mental warfare.”

White said, “I will tell you this and I don’t ever like to compare people to Muhammad Ali because to me he’s the f*cking, you know, and f*ck what he did in fighting, just as a human, what that guy accomplished. But I don’t give a f*ck what anybody says: Ali, Conor, both level when it comes to mental warfare. The two best of all time when it comes to mental warfare.” Being compared to a legend like Ali is definitely a pride for any UFC athlete, but McGregor believes that he is not like “the great man” yet.

Meanwhile, this praise for the UFC Champ from Sharpe came months after the Denver Broncos’ legend doubted his skills.

Shannon Sharpe corrected by a mixed martial artist!

In an episode of Club Shay Shay last December, Shannon Sharpe was joined by Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and professional boxer, Francis Ngannou. During the interview, Sharpe described Conor McGregor as a one-dimensional fighter, who relies on punches. He said, “The one thing about MMA, you can’t be one-dimensional. Ronda Rousey was one-dimensional. Conor McGregor is one-dimensional. He just throws punches.”

However, disagreeing with this, Ngannou pointed out that McGregor has a good ground game. However, he also emphasized that MMA indeed is a sport with multiple disciplines where being versatile is more important than excelling in just one area.

For Sharpe, even if McGregor is not that versatile, he surely resembles Muhammad Ali when it comes to word war.