Conor McGregor fighting Floyd Mayweather for legacy, not money - ‘This here is Bruce Lee sh*t’

It’s not crazy to think that UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor is stepping into the boxing ring against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas to land a huge payday. When there’s nearly $100 million up for grabs, the idea becomes even more plausible.

But that may not be the case for “Notorious,” who is already the highest paid fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA) today. Instead, McGregor insists that he’s meeting “Money” inside of the boxing ring later this month for more than just cold hard cash.

“I am here to win. I’m preparing to win. And win in devastating fashion,” McGregor said earlier today (Fri., Aug. 11, 2017) at his open media workout (full replay here) live from inside the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada. “That’s where we’re at. I don’t care about the money. I don’t care about any of that.”

“It gets to a point where the money is just up here,” McGregor added while moving his hands like a money-counting machine. “It’s always up there. I’m at that stage now; forever money. As long as I make correct decisions, and not make stupid decisions, I am set for life. I’m past the stage where this is for money, you know what I mean?”

If not money then what is McGregor fighting for? Like many athletes in his line of work, ones striving for greatness, the 29-year-old Irishman is aiming to solidify his already impactful legacy in combat sports.

“This is legacy,” McGregor said. “This is people doubting me, questioning my skill set. Talking as if I’m a novice. Talking as if I haven’t been doing this my entire life. I’ve been fighting since day one and I’m the best there is. I can fight in many forms. We’re going to prove this. This here is Bruce Lee sh*t.”

If McGregor is able to crack the riddle and dispose of Mayweather on Aug. 26 live on Showtime pay-per-view (PPV) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will undoubtedly go down as one of the best combat sports fighters of all time. And even though he isn’t fighting for the money, there will be plenty for “Notorious” to count after his spat with Mayweather.