Nobody in the UFC was more popular than Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor. His rise to the top was the most charismatic run that we’ve ever seen in the UFC. Being able to trash talk better than everyone and being able to back it up made McGregor the most popular fighter in UFC history. His press conferences were must-see TV. What made McGregor special was that he was able to cross over. Not only did his fans from his native Ireland love him but so did fans from America.
McGregor’s rise to superstardom came when he knocked out one of the most feared fighters in the UFC in Jose Aldo in a matter of seconds leaving fans in an absolute frenzy. The biggest phenomenon in the UFC was born. From that point on Conor became a superstar and made appearances in movies, shows, and commercials. He became the face of Proper 12 whiskey brand, and McGregor was on top of the world as the most recognizable fighter in the world.
But a lot has changed since then and it seems like we might have seen the last of ‘The Notorious’. Here are a few reasons why we may not see him fight again.
???? Dana White says Conor McGregor will NOT fight this year#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/riNhpzbzn2
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 14, 2024
Decline in the ring
The more popular you get, the more you become a wanted man. The target on McGregor’s back got bigger by the day. Fighters knew that not only would they get a chance to not only beat the face of the UFC but they’ll also be in line for the biggest payday that they’ve ever had by far by landing a McGregor fight. Nate Diaz was a bigger fighter than McGregor and was known as a tough guy who talked a big game; he even called out McGregor and the two agreed to fight each other.
Diaz was able to defeat McGregor, handing him his first loss. The two would fight in a rematch and McGregor would get his revenge and even the score against Diaz. But soon after, he would struggle in the octagon going 3-7 after capturing his featherweight title against Aldo. It became apparent that his best days were behind.
The mega-fight
The biggest crossover fight in combat history was made. Arguably the greatest boxer of all time when Floyd Mayweather accepted the challenge to fight McGregor. The fight’s promotion leading up to the fight was epic. McGregor was brilliant, he played the impossible role of villain and hero. Without a doubt McGregor carried the promotion and made Mayweather’s job easy and he just sat back and admired his opponent’s charismatic performance selling the fight.
McGregor’s antics worked like a charm! The fight broke records for a crossover fight between boxing and MMA. Mayweather defeated McGregor via TKO in the 10th round. The money that McGregor earned from that fight was $130 million compared to Mayweather’s $280. McGregor made an estimated $25 million on all of his UFC fights combined. He quadrupled the money that he’s made. He never has to compete for money again since he’s earned more than their peers. He’s the richest man in MMA, he will never be money-driven again as a prize fighter.
Inactivity
Nothing hurts a fighter more than inactivity, the longer you are away from fighting the worse you become. McGregor has not fought since July of 2021 when he broke his leg in the first round of his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirer. There’s been a few instances where McGregor was supposed to make a return to the ring but injuries have gotten in the way of that happening. Three years removed is brutal and the UFC has gotten better since then. Considering that McGregor’s best days are behind him. The most wise thing to do at this point is for him to retire.
Fans will always remember the thrill of watching The Notorious run through the UFC and unquestionably becoming the face of the organization. But clearly, those days are long gone and with personal issues arising and losing endorsements, this might just be the best time for Conor McGregor to walk into the sunset and start the next chapter of his life.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
