Here's How Conor McGregor Has Turned Trolling Mayweather Into a Science

Conor McGregor may not win the fight with Floyd Mayweather, but he's clearly dominating the social media war.

When Conor McGregor steps into the ring with Floyd Mayweather at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Aug. 26, there’s a good chance—a really good chance actually—that he’s not going to be able to keep up with the undefeated boxer. Most people, especially those in the fight business, think Mayweather will make light work of McGregor. But over the course of the last few months, McGregor has more than kept up with Mayweather during their ongoing war of words, and that’s been especially evident during his non-stop trolling of Mayweather on social media.

Most recently, McGregor managed to troll the hell out of Mayweather on social media without even putting up a social media post of his own, which is some real next-level trolling on his part. On Sunday, Draymond Green attempted to call McGregor out by putting up a photo of him wearing a Warriors jersey on Instagram along with the caption, "We rocking with Floyd bro not you…take that off bruh." In the photo, McGregor appeared to be wearing Green’s No. 23 jersey:

But McGregor quickly clapped back at Green and trolled Mayweather in the process by leaving a comment on the photo about how he wasn’t actually wearing a Green jersey. Instead, McGregor explained that he was wearing a C.J. Watson jersey, and if you know Watson’s history with Mayweather, then you know why McGregor was wearing the jersey. Mayweather pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and harassment back in 2010 after he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris over text messages she exchanged with Watson. So McGregor wasn’t supporting the Warriors when he put on a Golden State jersey; he was simply trying to get under Mayweather’s skin.

"That’s C.J. Watson mate," McGregor wrote in response to Green’s IG caption. "I don’t know who the fuck you are. No disrespect tho kid, keep hustling and stay in school. Now ask yourself why I’m rocking C.J. when I don’t know or give a fuck about basketball. I dribble heads off the floor. Not a ball. This is no game here kid."

This isn’t the first time McGregor has dragged Watson into the discussion while going at Mayweather online. Back in January, shortly after Mayweather said he would give McGregor $15 million for a fight, McGregor shot back by posting an animated photo of him standing over Mayweather along with the caption, "Call me C.J. Watson!"

And of course, McGregor has figured out all kinds of ways to troll Mayweather on social media since then. In February, as reports of a potential Mayweather/McGregor fight swirled around, McGregor made a trip to Las Vegas. As soon as he arrived, he took a photo of him sitting on a throne along with the caption, "I am in Las Vegas. Floyd has retired on my arrival."

He also referred to Las Vegas as "my city" throughout the course of his trip:

The posts were a response to Mayweather’s social media post about how he was "happily retired":

Since that time, McGregor has obviously finessed his way into a fight with Mayweather that could net him upwards of $100 million. But the fact that the fight is now going to take place hasn’t deterred McGregor from continuing to go at Mayweather on social media. Just one day before the official date for the fight was announced, McGregor posted a photo of the 40-year-old Mayweather on Instagram along with the caption, "Man, much respect to Floyd Senior still getting a few rounds in at the gym. I hope I can still train at that age. Respect."

The following day, he revealed that his fight with Mayweather was officially on the books by once again alluding to Mayweather’s age. He posted side-by-side photos of him and Floyd Mayweather Sr. on Instagram with the caption, "THE FIGHT IS ON."

And as he started to prepare for the fight, McGregor also showed off an interesting mural he had painted on the wall in his gym. Without specifically addressing the mural, he showcased it in the background of a photo of him in the ring along with the caption, "I am a filthy Irish animal."

For his part, Mayweather has engaged McGregor online on several occasions. Most notably, he got tangled up with him way back in December when Mayweather put up an Instagram post offering $10,000 to whoever could come up with the best caption for a video of McGregor tapping out against Nate Diaz.

Mayweather also trolled McGregor in January by bringing up their respective net worths, which was seemingly in response to the first Watson jab McGregor took at him:

But if the judges of the upcoming Mayweather/McGregor bout were allowed to use social media activity as part of their official scoring, there’s no doubt that McGregor would come out on top in that specific department.

Just like during his recent promotional tour with Mayweather, McGregor has dug deep down into his bag of tricks almost every time he has taken aim at Mayweather on social media. He has crossed the lines at times, and he has brought up things that Mayweather probably wishes he hadn’t, like the Watson stuff. He has pretty much written the definitive playbook for how to successfully promote a fight on social media in 2017.

At the end of the day, it’s probably not going to matter. Mayweather is likely going to get the last laugh by beating McGregor where it counts. But if nothing else, McGregor has Mayweather in unfamiliar territory right now. For most of Mayweather’s career, he has been the one leading the charge with regards to promoting fights. He has put other fighters on his back and single-handily driven up the interest in fights because of what he’s said and done in the months, weeks, and days leading up to them.

This time, though, McGregor is the one doing that, through his words, his actions, and maybe above all else, his social media posts. It’s a small victory, but a victory nonetheless, and proof that McGregor is unlike any other fighter Mayweather has come across in the past.

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