A fishy catch and release: Conor McGregor gets backlash for shark run-in
Miami, Florida - It wasn't the social media catch and release he had hoped for.
![Conor McGregor proudly displayed the captured shark to his Twitter followers.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/m/g/mgxrx6vgfv21b05nl9ur8abdgpufk7z1.jpg)
What was meant as a good deed and a PSA about animal safety backfired on Conor McGregor, when the internet didn't react as the UFC star might have wanted.
The MMA fighter thought he was doing the right thing, and inspiring others to do the same.
"Caught a shark from my back garden today in Miami," the World Champion wrote on Twitter, as he shared two photos of himself on a dock in Miami.
In his hands: a shark about five feet tall.
He then posted a follow-up video tossing the creature back into the ocean.
"Back in you go my little ocean critter," he wrote. "Protect the ocean. Fish responsibly."
Surprisingly, the stunt didn't go over well with his followers. Critics were quick to pan the 33-year-old's actions.
"You could have just put it back rather than chucking it," said one user. "Not the right way to release a fish," commented another.
"I’m a fish doctor and I’ve been studying fishes for circa 40 years. I can confirm that this fish will die within 1-2 hours after being released back into the ocean," wrote one self-proclaimed expert. "The way you threw this fish back into the water has guaranteed it will drown."
"Please be more careful," the "doctor" scolded.
Scandal seems to have followed the Irishman recently.
Last month, he seemingly picked a fight with Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly on the red carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards. Later, he seemed aloof about the confrontation and denied any drama.
Whether it's for his online antics or his fights, McGregor's life continues to make headlines, and polarize his fan base.
Last year, McGregor topped Forbes' list as the highest-earning athlete in 2020.
Maybe he can invest in some fishing classes to learn the techniques for proper catch and release.
Cover photo: Screenshot/Twitter/TheNotoriousMMA