Conor Anthony McGregor: This name tends to raise various emotions in lots of people.
While supporters of the famous Irish fighter would emphasize his drive and undeniable skills, some of the others might point out to the less favorable things.
Either way, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world will miss out a lot because of his absence. That is if he is finished.
G Holland / Shutterstock.com
McGregor is one of the most recognizable UFC representatives. He began his mixed martial arts adventure on a professional level back in 2008, earning UFC champion titles as a featherweight and lightweight.
His overall MMA record consists of a total 25 fights, including 21 wins (18 knockouts) and four defeats (each by submission). As the UFC’s pride and joy, he attracted a lot of attention from media and fans.
With the publicity, however, came big earnings for all interested parties. A clash against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 brought in the largest live gate in Nevada and drew 2.4 million pay-per-view buys (the highest ever).
It’s hard to believe that the relatively young McGregor could give up all the action if he didn’t have to do so. For the moment, however, the Irishman is reportedly retired from MMA.
It’s worth it to remember that he also took up boxing in 2017. His professional record, dare we say so far, only includes one match in which he ended up on the losing side. But what a match that was. First of all, he didn’t lose to any guy.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., who himself came back from retirement for the occasion, has achieved a lot in the discipline and never lost a match. Second, “The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History” resulted in a huge payday for both athletes. That fight was extraordinary for various reasons, attracting boxing and MMA fans as well as other viewers. The big money numbers associated with the event ended up breaking all manner of records.
Another reason for having reservations about McGregor leaving the sport is the fact that he has done it before, supposedly as part of a promotional campaign for a rematch against Nate Diaz. In fact, UFC president Dana White, who is reportedly in contact with McGregor, believes that he will fight again. Only the future will tell whether he was right.
