Does The UFC Still Need Conor McGregor?

To understand how it got to this point, one must first go back to November 12, 2016.

It was UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden – the promotion’s return to the state of New York after 21 years and its debut in the Big Apple. McGregor headlined an unbelievably stacked card, challenging Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title. He was aiming for history – fighters becoming champions in two different divisions had happened before, but concurrently? Only BJ Penn had attempted to achieve the feat before, and he failed miserably.

McGregor, however, proved more than capable of it. He utterly embarrassed Alvarez, securing the TKO in the second round to attain MMA immortality. Suddenly, he was among the most talked-about fighters in the world, and a man of his reputation would not settle for anything less.

There was the allure of boxing, which promised paydays that were beyond what the UFC could usually offer. One name in particular intrigued McGregor: trash-talking undefeated former champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom he always had fantasized about in his career.

They finally met in August 2017, and it mostly did not go well for McGregor – he was outstruck throughout the fight, then finished in the 10th round. Thus, he returned to MMA – albeit not until over a year later. He challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov, his successor as lightweight champion, and was destroyed, submitting to a fourth-round neck crank.

That rout began a dismal 1-3 stretch for McGregor. After rebounding against Donald Cerrone, he lost twice to Dustin Poirier, whom he had beaten in 2014 when they were still burgeoning featherweights. His 2023 coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter was supposed to lead to a fight against Michael Chandler, but it was cancelled.

What Has Happened In The UFC During Conor McGregor’s Absence?

McGregor had always been controversial when he was still actively fighting, but developments during his current hiatus have only exacerbated how little the UFC currently needs him.

Of course, there are the incidents outside the cage – physical and sexual assaults, losses of business deals, and highly inflammatory political views. Inside the cage, meanwhile, both of McGregor’s former realms have recovered impressively and moved on.

At 145, Max Holloway immediately established himself as the next divisional great. Alex Volkanovski arrived and also cemented his case before being unseated by Ilia Topuria, who also then finished Holloway before moving up. Volkanovski has since returned to the throne, and he has no shortage of contenders: Movsar Evloev, Lerone Murphy, and Aljamain Sterling, just to name a few.

Going back to Topuria, he is the latest in a line of exciting lightweight champions in the post-McGregor era. Nurmagomedov notched two more defenses before retiring in 2020, and veteran finisher Charles Oliveira succeeded him. Nurmagomedov’s protégé, Islam Makhachev, broke the divisional title defense record before moving up to welterweight.

They are not the only names worth mentioning, however. Ever-exciting veteran Justin Gaethje is expected to get the first crack at Topuria. Oliveira is looking to keep his spot against Mateusz Gamrot. Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker will dispute the number one contendership in Qatar next month. Finally, Paddy Pimblett, the closest the promotion has gotten to a McGregor-esque personality in recent memory, is on the rise.

With such a diverse pool of champions and contenders, the UFC need not wait for an unstable, fading (if not faded) star. As the saying goes, “Just because something can happen does not mean it should.”

Business Considerations For Conor McGregor’s Return

Unfortunately, the current state of the UFC has led it to a vastly different thought: “Just because something should not happen does not mean it won’t.”

It is no secret that the promotion currently lacks big-name stars, but that may change soon. Jon Jones, while claiming to be currently retired, is suspiciously back in the drug testing pool, meaning that he could be back for the White House event. McGregor has been adamant about wanting to fight Chandler there as well, and another circumstance may help his case – the UFC’s impending broadcasting deal with CBS.

The White House event will be a major milestone moment for the partnership, and having the sport’s biggest star back will represent a massive boost for the promotion.

End Of My Conor McGregor Rant

Until then, one must play the guessing game when it comes to McGregor. “Will he return? When and against whom, if ever?” One thing is clear, however: the UFC that he will return to is vastly different from the one that he vanished from long ago.

As McGregor nears his 40s, his first fight in that new environment will also represent his last chance to be relevant. Win, and he gets to write a new chapter in his colorful career. Lose, however, and he is done for.