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UFC legend Daniel Cormier stunned by Conor McGregor’s insane PPV buys

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 3:51 PM ET

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier was left in disbelief after hearing one stat from Conor McGregor’s UFC career.

A former two-division UFC champion, Cormier is in his home state of Louisiana this week to work as part of the commentary team for UFC 318, which takes place at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA on Saturday night.

While it may not be the most star-studded pay-per-view card in recent memory, UFC 318 does boast a headlining “BMF” title fight between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway that will see “The Diamond” close out his illustrious MMA career with a trilogy bout against Holloway.

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Daniel Cormier Marvels At Conor McGregor's PPV Numbers

The weigh-ins for UFC 318 thankfully saw all 28 fighters successfully make weight for their respective fights, which left plenty of time for Cormier to have a bit of fun with Chris Weidman and Paul Felder as part of the event’s official Morning Weigh-In Show.

No stranger to headlining major UFC pay-per-views himself, Cormier was left stunned when he was told that inactive UFC star McGregor had eight-straight events do more than one million PPV buys during his heyday.

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“He had eight-straight million buy pay-per-views? Cormier responded after being told. “Wow. Conor McGregor made some money…Conor made some cash...Me and Jon Jones couldn’t even get to a million. He did eight in a row?”

Former Conor McGregor Foes Headline UFC 318

“The Notorious” famously become a two-division UFC champion when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, and Cormier also achieved that feat in 2018 when he moved up a division and claimed the UFC heavyweight title.

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As successful as McGregor was during his prime, it’s now been more than four years since fans last saw the Irishman enter the UFC Octagon.

Last summer's planned return fight against Michael Chandler fell through when the UFC star withdrew with a broken toe, and while he’s expressed interest in fighting at the White House next year the 37-year-old’s out-of-cage controversies are rapidly beginning to overshadow his in-cage success.

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Fans last saw McGregor enter the cage for a third bout with Poirier at UFC 264 that ended after the first round when the Irishman suffered a broken ankle. “The Diamond” is set to close out another trilogy (and his career) at UFC 318 this Saturday when tries to take the “BMF” title from Holloway, who also fought McGregor back in 2013.