Is the UFC better off with Conor McGregor staying on the sidelines? Exploring the possibility
Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the biggest superstar ever to grace the UFC octagon and is widely credited for his immense contributions to the sport.
'The Notorious' announced his arrival in the UFC with a first-round knockout win over Marcus Brimmage on April 6, 2013. Since then, McGregor has headlined five of the six highest-earning pay-per-view events in UFC history.
Given his marketability, it only makes sense for the UFC to make full use of their cash cow as often as possible. However, McGregor suffered a nasty leg fracture during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 and has been on the sidelines ever since.
An extended period of physical rehabilitation helped him return as coach on last year's 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality show and promote a potential comeback fight against rival coach Michael Chandler. However, their fight hasn't been officially announced and isn't on the milestone UFC 300 event.
Considering that the UFC's biggest star is absent from their biggest card in recent memory, many have wondered if the promotion has moved past the Irishman. There's no dearth of MMA superstars in the UFC.
Fighters like Israel Adesanya, Sean O'Malley, Sean Strickland, and Jon Jones are some of the most popular fighters today and could easily draw ticket sales whenever necessary. However, given McGregor's pay-per-view record, perhaps it's better for the UFC to have 'The Notorious' back on their active roster.
The Irishman still boasts more social media followers than any other MMA fighter and is widely considered a mainstream celebrity today. If the UFC needs to put on a blockbuster event, it's not too far off to think there's no better option than the former two-division champion.
Leon Edwards lauds Conor McGregor for his contributions to mixed martial arts
UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards recently shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor and reflected upon the Irishman's impact on MMA. As mentioned, McGregor is among the biggest athletes in the world and is widely credited for helping bring the sport into the mainstream.
Apart from his octagon performances, McGregor also made a high-profile boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 and will make his silver screen debut in a Jake Gyllenhaal-led 'Road House' remake.
In an episode of the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast, Edwards discussed McGregor's stardom and said:
"I think he’s great for the sport. He has definitely brought the sport forward to the casual fans... What he’s achieved in the sport, you can’t take away from him. He did become the first-ever two-division world champion... He definitely helped the sport... He definitely gave more in terms of pushing it into the mainstream." [H/T MMAfighting.com]