The new UFC featherweight champion has a golden belt to go with his silver tongue and is elevating the sport of mixed martial arts to unprecedented heights.
Mesmerizing, polarizing and uncompromising, Conor McGregor has all the ingredients required to be the first crossover superstar in his profession. A 16,000 strong crowd at the MGM Grand saw the Dubliner cement his status as the UFC’s golden goose.
Saturday’s gate of $7.2 million marked a new MMA record and the frenzied hoard of Irish fans were treated to a second round knockout as McGregor’s volcanic left hand floored Chad Mendes. The compact American wrestler battled gamely, securing takedowns with ease but could not compete with the smooth precision of McGregor’s standup boosted by an eight inch reach advantage.
McGregor’s performance was electrifying but perhaps his most impressive feat was in promoting a new fight so successfully on two weeks notice. Jose Aldo bruised not only his ribs but also the expectations of UFC fans anticipating a biblical clash between himself and McGregor by pulling out at the eleventh hour. To then smash all UFC viewing records with a replacement bout illustrates the pull of the Irishman’s name on a fight card.
The success of the UFC owes as much to intelligent marketing as it does to the skills exhibited by its gladiators. For years the organisation struggled for legitimacy, unable to shake the air of mindless brutality and amateurish aggression. In the late 90s former presidential candidate John McCain even dismissed it as ‘human cockfighting’.
Gradually, as the sport implemented stricter regulations, more palatable for the man in the street, its popularity grew. Then the success of The Ultimate Fighter reality show transformed perception of these athletes from thugs to professional sportsmen with refined technical ability. The UFC’s recent affiliation with Reebok is another major step towards fully fledged acceptance, a change from the patchwork of previously low rate sponsorship and messy urban branding. Conor McGregor was chosen to front their new sponsorship deal after only six fights in the organisation, further evidence of his startling impact on the UFC.
But beyond a reality show and established sponsors, how can a once marginalized sport seep into mainstream public consciousness?
Conor McGregor might be the answer. A charismatic figurehead for MMA who is as engaging on a chat show as he is in the octagon, a crossover celebrity. His weight of personality can drag the UFC into the British public eye like nobody has before.
Whilst the UFC has more or less established itself as a powerhouse in the States, interest in Britain remains largely untapped particularly in competition with our current generation of boxers. Joshua, Campbell, Brook, DeGale, the list goes on. But even Eddie Hearn- the man charged with promoting this rival ensemble- recognized the value of a unique personality in advancing a sport, ‘Don’t really follow the UFC but what a character this McGregor is – for any sport to thrive you need big personalities and he is a revelation.’
To have that rare ability to sell a fight, whet the appetite of fans and then go on to deliver on all of those promises is a golden formula and McGregor is Midas. The world stopped to watch Mayweather out-probe and out-dance Pacquiao and the ‘fight of the century’ didn’t come close to living up to it’s hype. There is no danger of similar anticlimax with McGregor or a UFC title fight for that matter. It appears to be a matter of when not if UFC arrives at the forefront of British sport, as it has in Ireland with McGregor as the standard bearer.
In an institution where many of the fighters look like Game of Thrones extras, Conor McGregor cuts a suave figure with tailored suits for every occasion. It isn’t just sartorial flair that sets him apart outside the ring however, he speaks eloquently with a brashness but honesty that forces you to pick a side. That is the genius of any promotion. In his words you can love him, you can hate him but you will always watch him.
The growth in mixed martial arts has been staggering in recent years and it seems inevitable that with stars like McGregor the sport will break new ground into the national conversation. Dana White, visionary President of the UFC has always been confident about the appeal of MMA worldwide. He described combat sport as a truly global language. Nobody is speaking it better than Conor McGregor.
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