Dana White recently appeared on the Flagrant Podcast with Andrew Schulz. He discussed Conor McGregor’s controversial partying footage. Is McGregor playing mind games? Or is he not taking his fight seriously? Dana White made a surprising comparison. He likened McGregor’s mental tactics to Muhammad Ali’s legendary mind games.

Ali was famous for mind games with opponents, trash talk that got under their skin, and unshakeable confidence. So, is this partying a wild night out, or a calculated move straight from Ali’s playbook?

Is Connor McGregor’s partying a play straight out of Ali’s book?

During the podcast, Andrew Schulz speculated whether the footage was part of a marketing strategy by McGregor. Schulz asked, “Speaking of Conor, is this marketing on Conor’s behalf? The video of him partying? Is he?” Dana White responded, “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. You know, he opened a bar out there.”

Schulz continued, “But is he like, I’m gonna leak a video in my bar. It could be controlled, right? It’s in my bar. I’m partying. I’m with my people every. And then it comes out. Now Chandler’s like, oh, maybe he’s not taking this that serious. Maybe I could take my foot off the gas. Or is this, he’s actually not taking it serious?”

White then made a surprising comparison, saying, “I will tell you this, and I don’t ever like to compare people to Muhammad Ali. Cause to me, he’s the f**king, you know, but don’t give a f**k 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.”

The bout, set for June 29 in Las Vegas, is one of the most anticipated in UFC history. McGregor, known for his striking power and charisma, is making a comeback after a three-year hiatus, which he says is going to be the greatest comeback of all time.

Chandler, a formidable opponent, has been preparing intensively as he manifested this fight. The stakes are incredibly high, and this fight promises to be a spectacle.

What do you think? Is McGregor playing mind games, or is he genuinely off his game? One thing is certain: come June 29, all eyes will be on the octagon to see how this drama unfolds.