Ebanie Bridges has hit out at fans who criticise her friendship with UFC legend Conor McGregor.
McGregor and the outspoken Australian became fast friends after meeting at the rematch between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron last year.
The burgeoning friendship developed into a business relationship shortly after, with McGregor sponsoring Bridges to serve as one of the faces of his Forged Irish Stout brand.
After coming under fire for her association with the former two-weight UFC world champion, last month Bridges branded online speculation that the pair are more than friends as ‘fantasy’.
The 37-year-old – a former world champion in her own right – has now doubled down on her comments.
Ebanie Bridges hit out at online criticism at her friendship with UFC legend Conor McGregor
McGregor and Bridges have become friends since meeting at a boxing match last year
The Irishman also sponsors Bridges to serve as one of the faces of his Forged Irish Stout brand
‘I don’t know how people can’t understand it, the people that can’t understand it are dopes.’ Bridges told Lord Ping.
‘They know nothing about business, they know nothing about sales and they are obviously not very successful.
‘If you are successful, you can see right through it. Or, they are just bitter and they have their own little fantasies, or they just want to tear you down to defame us.
‘But, at the end of the day, we are the ones rolling around with our millions. What are they doing, sitting behind a keyboard? If we cared about what haters say, we wouldn’t be where we are.’
Bridges added that commenters online fail to see the good that McGregor does for the next generation of combat sports athletes.
‘No matter how much good you do, there is always going to be hate and people are going to try and drag you down,’ she continued.
Bridges added fans often fail to acknowledge the good McGregor is doing for young fighters
‘Conor has a lot of haters, but they don’t see the good that he does.
‘If you saw him giving his money away to support other fighters, or any other athlete, he wouldn’t just sit there being greedy and putting all of the money into his pocket.
‘He does it to help the next generation, as I am trying to do because I want to give back and help build other people up to be successful.’
