What If Conor McGregor Never Fought in the UFC?
By Ali Hammad August 09, 2024 04:13
Conor McGregor, with his unmatched bravado, explosive fighting style, and genius for promotion, has left an indelible mark on the world of MMA, elevating the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to unprecedented heights. But what if destiny had taken a different turn? What if the Irish sensation had never graced the UFC with his prowess?
This thought experiment not only sheds light on McGregor's monumental influence on MMA and its fans but also invites us to explore a universe of possibilities. From the continuation of his journey in other fighting promotions to speculative successes in varied combat sports, and the broader implications for the sport's evolution and its stars, this alternate reality prompts intriguing questions about legacy, influence, and the shaping forces of MMA.
McGregor's Career timeline
Alternative Paths in MMA
Conor McGregor likely would have continued his career fighting in other Mixed Martial Arts promotions, such as Cage Warriors, where the Irishman first gained fame, if he had never fought in UFC. McGregor would have been an elite fighter no matter who he fought for.
Cage Warriors Success: McGregor was a Cage Warriors champion before UFC. His charisma and ability as a pantomime villain could have brought in more interest and money for an organization like Cage Warriors, which would only benefit the entire MMA scene with them occupying such a significant space on that landscape.
Looking At Other Sports: To the contrary, McGregor could have pivoted his attention to other combat sports, such as boxing or kickboxing. His boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017 put his striking on a global display while selling insane pay-per-views.
Impact on Legacy
McGregor's legacy is almost certainly greater with the UFC. The UFC gave him global exposure to display his skills and personality, helping him become a household name. Though The Notorious would still have some notoriety for what he'd done outside the Octagon, casual sports fans or sponsors would be less likely to bat as loudly for him without UFC exposure. This would heavily degrade his capability of transcending the sport and becoming a cultural icon.
The Rise of The UFC
The rise of MMA was defined by the arrival of Conor McGregor in the UFC. The UFC also rode his mix of charisma, fighting talent, and promotional skills to new levels. Conor McGregor's fights have always been the biggest pay-per-view draws, with his UFC 229 showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov becoming one of the highest-grossing in history.
Without McGregor, the UFC would have posted year after year of diminished income, which could ultimately see them lacking the ability to sign top talent or secure those hefty TV deals they've negotiated over the years.
Love him or hate him, Conor McGregor brought the UFC into mainstream appeal. McGregor gave the promotion an image boost that went beyond its previous niche status in the public consciousness. He was the biggest draw to casual fans and media. Without him, the UFC might still be struggling to break into the mainstream reach that McGregor helped establish.
The Growth of MMA
McGregor is the embodiment of that evolution, both as a fighter and as a draw for MMA, which has grown in part through his influence. Being successful like the rest of them led to an unprecedented amount of visibility and investment from other corporate entities.
Impact on Other Fighters
Khabib Nurmagomedov: McGregor's feud with Khabib raised their profiles from relative unknowns to superstars in the fighting world and gave us one of the most long-awaited matches ever seen in MMA. Nurmagomedov would probably not be as famous or well-off financially without McGregor, and their fight was a huge draw, after all.
Nate Diaz: Things changed and improved rapidly after the trilogy of fights against Nate Diaz that involved McGregor. His rivalry with McGregor brought him back into the UFC spotlight and afforded him some big opportunities. However, had McGregor not swung for the fences and met Diaz, he would have continued to fly under the radar.
The Rise of New Stars
New Champions: Fighters like Max Holloway, Tony Ferguson, and Dustin Poirier have become new superstars due to McGregor's attention at every level. This would have helped create a more diverse champion landscape and alternate storylines within the UFC.
Change in Promotional Tactics: The UFC would have had to find a different way of doing business, probably without the colorful Irishman. McGregor brought the spectacle and entertainment side of things to the forefront more than anything, so the organization may have needed to adopt that more and focus instead on traditional fight promotion.
Missed Opportunities for McGregor
Sponsorship Agreements and Coverage by the Media
Brand Partnerships: McGregor is the Reebok and Proper No. Twelve whiskey endorsements, both of which have contributed to numerous successes. Having solid brand partnerships has been a huge part of why he makes so much money. Had he not had the UFC platform, it is fair to assume that replicating those deals for similar money would have been difficult.
UFC Platform: McGregor was given the classic platform that is all of us on an international stage to show his personality and abilities in combat by MMA superstars. Without that exposure, he would have gotten a lot less media coverage, which would have caused a loss of recognition and desirability.
It's interesting to explore what the UFC landscape would be like if Conor McGregor had never fought in it. But McGregor's talents, personality, and promotional abilities have all but left the sport indelibly altered in its wake. Without him, the UFC would have fizzled out as a niche sport instead of growing to mainstream prominence and financial success.
Furthermore, many other fighters' paths may have differed, while MMA would have been looked at differently. Instead, McGregor would likely have departed the fight game as little more than an also-ran footnote, his tenure as a two-division champion and cultural icon lamentably wasted and vacated by a sport that may not see its genre-sized hole filled for many years yet to come. At the end of all this, Conor McGregor is still one of those fighters who change a sport after he comes through it, and his absence dramatically alters what we would have been talking about in combat sports.
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