Issue 189

April 2020

After his quickfire Cowboy demolition, Conor McGregor, is back as the main man in MMA, and bidding to become the sport’s first billionaire. How he plans the next stage of his career will be – like the man himself – fascinating

Forget Mystic Mac. Phase three of the career of Conor McGregor is now underway, and it might now just be known as ‘Liquid Gold’, as McGregor showed once more that the time away has not diminished his star power. In fact, it appears to have grown. The Irishman is no longer just a fighter, he is an A-list star, bigger in social media reach than the UFC, a name that now resonates across the fight sports world and beyond into the mainstream. Is McGregor now set fair, after his celebratory, glorious 40-second comeback to become the very first billionaire fighter from mixed martial arts? 

They have created a monster, the UFC, but a money monster, who patently has the Midas Touch. McGregor himself told me in a documentary for BT Sport four years ago that he was intent on earning over £200 million from being a prizefighter yet the exponential growth of his brand, along with his infamy as ‘The Notorious One’ could even set a new benchmark as he claimed recently that he sees himself going on to become the first billionaire fighter to emerge from the MMA world. 

So far, McGregor has lived up to his pledges and promises, and as long as his athletic prowess continues, nothing will get in his way. But that is the razor edge he will ride until he does eventually decide to hang up his MMA gloves (and indeed his boxing mitts). 

There was, of course, the crossover boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr, himself a boxer with close to a billion dollars in career earnings. Now a second fight between McGregor and Mayweather has already been broached, sources suggest, with UFC president Dana White also having revealed that he and Floyd have been in discussions over the projected ZUFFA Boxing which is expected to take root later this year. One suspects that McGregor’s name is front and center in those behind-the-scenes talks. 

There is also, moreover, that other popular hero in boxing circles, Manny Pacquiao, with whom the Dubliner has been linked of late. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Pacquiao, already involved in his other sphere as a senator in The Philippines, could embark on a battle with McGregor with boxing gloves in an alternative mega-fight. It would be another blockbuster money maker, and a promotion in which McGregor would easily fit in as ‘the heel’. For now though, McGregor’s immediate destiny seems to be bound up in his UFC run this year.      

The UFC frontman White has admitted to me – although it had to be prised out of him – that McGregor “could be worth more than two billion US dollars” to the UFC, if they can keep this ‘liquid gold’ rolling. One suspects it will take careful match-making, but with contests against Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, Khabib Nurmagomedov – and others – brewing nicely, the McGregor bandwagon may just roll on and on like a juggernaut. There is certainly an appetite from the fans for this unique individual and fighter. 

There has been much conjecture within the MMA world after his stunning comeback win. The ‘Notorious’ McGregor, now into his thirties, dismantled opponent Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds to prove he is back where he belongs in the Octagon, and after watching his star turn steal the show in Las Vegas, White knows the value of the star whose return from the wilderness put the UFC’s brand on another level. Extraordinary, really, for the man from Crumlin, Dublin, who began his mixed martial career with barely a dollar to his name, having worked as a trainee plumber until his calling as a fighter came to fruition. White is hoping McGregor will be back soon, and has him on speed dial, as they look to enhance his stats, standing and fight appearances in 2020.

McGregor insisted, after his triumph of shoulder attacks, kicks and strikes, which crumpled ‘Cowboy’, that he will be back now for what he regards as “his season in MMA’ and if he does indeed fight twice, or even three times, in 2020, it will generate huge exposure for the sport and line the coffers of the fight league which gave the fighter a platform which has turned him truly into one of sport’s global stars.   

“Lots of things make sense but I need to see what Conor wants to do,” White says. “I want Conor to fight three more times this year. I want to see Conor versus Masvidal but I think Conor versus Khabib is so good for their legacies.” 

The contest with Khabib, one might surmise, though, could be an endgame fight, but the Dagestani must first come through his April encounter with Tony Ferguson, a fight we have keenly anticipated over five times. 

As White added, McGregor fights could be the perfect foil for the new, sleek, black NFL stadium being built across the road from the T-Mobile Arena, just off the Las Vegas Strip. “Putting that fight in the new Las Vegas Raiders Stadium would be good but it could go anywhere. We need to sit down and look at what makes the most sense.”

White wants McGregor to meet Nurmagomedov – who defeated McGregor in October 2018 leading to its ugly denouement with the team brawl outside the cage – but it will without doubt break box office records for the UFC when it does take place. 

“With how Khabib won the first time and how famous Khabib has become, we’re looking at [Marvin] Hagler- [Thomas] Hearns,” White reasons. “We’re looking at like Ali-Foreman, Ali- Frazier. This is a massive fight with global appeal. This is the fight that you make. This is the fight that makes sense.”

For McGregor, the task now, the desire is to “etch my name in history,” he explained after his winning return. “I like this weight division. I am unscathed and in shape but I still don’t think I am back where I was. I am going to party and spend time with my family but then I will be back in the gym and anyone can get it next. I’m very proud of tonight. My team has been phenomenal, the fans have been phenomenal.” 

What is also phenomenal is his star power, in spite of that long hiatus from the sport, where, in recent months, the fighter and businessman appears to have gone through a period of maturing. He is still only 31, and fatherhood will change him too, as will the way in which he will have to fight, and prepare, through his thirties. 

McGregor spent 15 months away from the sport after his loss to Nurmagomedov, but the Irishman remains the cash cow for every fighter within striking distance of his weight. He is clearly refocused and keen to make up for lost time after a long spell of inactivity. 

John Kavanagh, McGregor’s coach, tells me: “It felt good again. It’s been a while but we very quickly got into our groove.” 

Speaking of McGregor’s maturity, he adds: “If you give anyone flashbacks to our mid-20s and someone makes you world famous and gives you an account of money, you’ll start playing with toys. When that passes, what do you come back to? What do you really want to do? He could buy an island and we’d never hear from him again. After doing all that and experiencing all that, he went back to what he wanted to do in his life and this is clearly what he wants to do with his life.”

On the fight with Pacquiao, the head of SBG gym in Dublin adds: “I think it’d be a fantastic. I’m a big Manny fan – who isn’t? But I don’t think it’ll happen. I could definitely see the Mayweather rematch happening, though. There’s always talks and options on the table.” 

The advances in this latest version of McGregor include the addition of Phil Sutcliffe, the Irishman’s first boxing coach from his teenage years at Crumlin Boxing Club. 

Sutcliffe, a two-time Olympic boxer, was clearly a success. “He’s great to be around. He’s so typical of that blue-collar Dublin guy. Humor, quick wit – you can see where Conor got it from. That was Conor’s formative time in that environment under Phil’s wing. To have him in the camp is fantastic.”

Sutcliffe himself was delighted to be asked by McGregor to join the fray. 

“Conor rang me and asked if I’d mind if he came back to the gym and did a bit of boxing,” he tells me. “I replied I’d be delighted to have him back. He’s after giving a buzz to the club and the coaches. Everything’s come full circle now with everything he’s achieved – especially after that fight with Mayweather. No other fighter or boxer or kick-boxer had that confidence against him. I know it’s show business but Conor hit him more than anybody else than any other boxer who got in the ring with Mayweather. 

“I’m sorry he didn’t use me,” Sutcliffe continues. “He’s said that himself. If he did, it’d been a different outcome. If he gets him again it could be a good, a different outcome. You never know, this is the fight game.”

Audie Attar, McGregor’s manager, has a strong handle on what is next for the fighter. He explained to me in a meeting in Los Angeles just a week after the victory over Cerrone: “For me, he’s not only a client but a business partner. I focus on the human element as well, it’s not just about him fighting. I always knew he had the desire to fight again. More importantly, I was just focused on our relationship [when McGregor was not fighting]. I focused on our business and made sure we continued to grow. I’m 39 and I’ll be 40 in September. I’m still fairly young but I’ve gained a lot of experience through athletics. Just as I did when I was an athlete, I try to get better. More structure, more discipline. We’re not perfect, we fuck up but we all try to succeed in what we do. 

“We’re all trying to provide for our loved ones,” he continues. “We all try to enjoy life. We have to have structure and consistency and discipline in order to continue to evolve. If you don’t have those pillars, you’ll get lost in this thing. It’s important whether you have nothing or millions in the bank.”

Was there ever a concern for Attar that McGregor would not return and would not do big numbers? 

“Not really,” Attar replies. “He’s always had the focus on. He was training the day after the fight. He’s loving it again. He missed the basics of it all. But he is focused on his business interests as well.” 

McGregor, moreover, according to Attar, has a broad awareness of the fact that so many fighters have enjoyed the spoils and the riches of their success, yet ended up broke. 

“He’s very aware of that. And I won’t stop saying that to him and reminding him. It’s a learning process. Particularly for someone who doesn’t come from that background to learn how to manage it all. So they don’t become another statistic and make the right decisions. Decisions don’t just mean saying yes, you also have to say no. That comes with further developing the structure and discipline – which deals to do and which companies to align with. To his credit, it’s knowing what place or venue to be in or which audience to play to. When you’re a fighter you’ve got to be the board man too.”

Attar also disagrees that McGregor is following a model set by Mayweather. “Everyone can gain from another’s experience. But no one should model on one person, rather take from that and make it your own. And plus plus plus and this on top of it. Type A alphas are very driven and confident.”

The delight enjoyed by McGregor and the team including Attar with the fighter’s return included platforming his brand once more. 

“I loved being able to show just how powerful his brand still is,” Attar explains. “More importantly I was so excited for him and all the hard work our team has put in to get him ready and make sure we’re doing all the right things so he can go out there and perform at his best.” 

“It was great to see it all come together and see how tight our team was, in terms of our movements and preparation leading up to fight night. And then seeing the energy from the weigh-ins. And the press conferences before, too. Everyone was questioning if we were going to see a flat Conor McGregor, whether he had not only lost his star quality, but his ability to perform?” 

Those questions were all answered emphatically by the fighter himself, in every department. 

“You didn’t need to sell the card for 12 weeks. But also we had it in the worst time of the year, traditionally. For him to go out there and have that performance, I was so proud of him. I knew the dedication and sacrifice. He went for the kill straight away and really showed some great body control and grappling. He embodied the spirit and energy that he’s brought to the team as the leader. I’m really proud of him and our team. It was an amazing way to kick off 2020.”

But the fight week in Las Vegas also included a major charm offensive from McGregor. He was less on edge, more in tune with those around him. Against Cerrone, McGregor said the right things – unlike the Khabib fight. 

Attar is in agreement. 

“There was a lot of bad things said and bad things done from both sides. From our side, I know him [Conor] intimately and he wasn’t happy with a lot of things he said. You can make apologies but you have to correct then with your actions going forward. I know who he is, I know what he’s all about and represents. I also know how he’s such a polarizing figure that whatever he says people will react. So things get blown way out of proportion. I’m really excited about the future as it relates to correcting the past, because you can’t go back and correct it. You can only lay down the foundation going forward and he’s ready for that. He’s ready to admit his mistakes and move forward. And that’s life. Conor McGregor has always represented something we can relate to. That’s what has made his story so compelling. Going from nothing to something. And believing in it and saying it and achieving it. We all have that in us.” 

As Attar points out, and as McGregor has pointed to, his career now simply has to be managed event by event, as they put the cap on his fighting resume over the next, say, three years. 

“The next two fights will likely be MMA,” Attar says. “There’s Masvidal or Tony and Khabib, if someone pulls out, or the Diaz third fight. I wouldn’t imagine it would be Mayweather or Pacquiao, unless something compels us with an offer we cannot turn down.” 

In short, the huge fights are there, stretched out to 2023. As the fighter himself said on the eve of his comeback: “They think I am toast, but I’m still the bread.” 

So true. Nothing would shock with Conor ‘liquid gold’ McGregor’s next strategic move. It truly is a story of rags to fighting riches.