Ex-UFC Star Reminisces ‘Conor McGregor Era’ Selling Out Packed Arenas for Weigh-Ins

The PPV was absolutely wild as more than 20,000 passionate fans attended the arena to witness the historic event. UFC 229 earned a massive live gate of $17.19 million, which is still UFC’s biggest live gate at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It also became the highest-selling UFC pay-per-view ever with 2.4 million buys, smashing all previous promotional records.

However, for McGregor, it turned into a night to forget as he was dominated by the ‘Eagle’ across multiple rounds. The ‘Notorious’ looked helpless against Nurmagomedov’s relentless wrestling and eventually tapped out to a tight neck crank in round four.

But the chaos didn’t stop there, as Nurmagomedov jumped out of the octagon and attacked McGregor’s teammates who were trash-talking him. After the infamous post-fight brawl, Nurmagomedov was fined $500,000 and suspended for nine months.

Meanwhile, the Irishman received a six-month suspension and a $50,000 fine. Dillon Danis was fined $7,500 and suspended for seven months. While the CEO Dana White shared disappointment about the incident, the drama definitely helped in boosting the popularity of the promotion.

UFC veteran commentator talks about Conor McGregor’s extreme weigh-ins

Conor McGregor began his UFC journey in the featherweight division, where he quickly gained attention with his knockout power and charisma. Known for his showmanship, McGregor often captivated fans with bold predictions, flashy suits, and unforgettable trash talk during fight promotions.

To make the featherweight limit, McGregor would undergo extreme weight cuts that often left him looking shockingly thin and almost unhealthy. Nevertheless, his durability at 145-pounds took no hit as the Irishman had an undefeated run.

Despite the bizarre physical transformations, fans admired McGregor’s dedication and packed arenas just to watch him weigh in live. Several photos showed him looking extremely bizarre, giving interviews that many found alarming and concerning. In an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, the UFC commentator discussed McGregor’s extreme weight cuts in detail, calling it unsustainable.

You are talking about a dude who was big for the weight class. At 145, when he would weigh in, he would look like a dead man. Because that was the days when you had the real weigh-ins. You didn’t get a chance to dehydrate you actually had to make weight in front of the crowd. So, you would see Conor and he looked like a dead man. He looked liked a man who had been in concentration camp.

Joe Rogan via JRE

However, with time, McGregor moved up in weight and ballooned significantly following his leg injury sustained in 2021 during a fight. His rapid muscle gain raised concerns about whether he could ever realistically make the lightweight 155-pound limit again. Since then, the former double champion hasn’t returned to the octagon, and many fans believe he may never fight again.