Throughout the rich history of the UFC, several great fighters have graced the octagon. While the warriors still continue to come in, there are only a few who have also been great entertainers. Conor McGregor strikes the perfect balance between these two personalities. As one of the greatest to ever do it, Conor’s entertainment factor is unparalleled.
He is known as Mystic Mac by the UFC fans. Conor’s ability to predict how his fights would end used to spark an excitement in fans that was unheard of. For his genius game plan and near-perfect fight IQ, Conor was compared to the great Muhammed Ali. But did he also predict the trajectory of his career over a decade ago?
In September 2014, nearly a year after his UFC debut, Conor gave an interview to eir Sport. During the interview, the Notorious was asked if money and fashion is a distraction in this sport. He said, “This is prize fighting. I’m in here to get rich fast and then I’m going to get out.” Conor had incredible clarity about what he wanted to achieve, despite only starting out at the time.
He said that the main priority for him is going to be securing his family financially. He said, “I’m in the business of securing my own future, my family’s future, and that’s it. That’s what I’m in it for. The fight game doesn’t last long. Competitive fighting doesn’t last long…I’m in it to get all the money, all the belts, and then I’m gone.”
Looking back at the interview today seems like the Mystic Mac was spot on about his career as well.
Did Conor McGregor achieve what he set out to?
There has never been a fighter nearly as popular as Conor McGregor in the UFC. Despite being on the card only thrice since 2018, he has remained the most popular fighter even today. Conor last stepped inside the octagon in 2021. Since then, fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the cage.
But if we take a look at his career, his legacy and where he is in life, there’s no reason left for him to come back other than the love for the game. In August 2017, Conor fought Floyd Mayweather in a crossover boxing match. His estimated purse for the fight was $130 million.
Conor and his business partners sold their majority stake in Proper 12 whiskey in 2021 for $600 million. That’s just two out of several other ventures that the Notorious had his hands in. He has been the biggest fighter in the history of UFC in terms of PPV sales. His UFC purse has been the highest of any other fighter by a huge margin.
Today, Conor sits at a net worth of over $200 million. He is now the owner of BKFC, the fastest-growing fight promotion in the world. Taking all these achievements into account, Conor executed his plans from a decade ago to the T. If he doesn’t come back to the cage again, fans won’t feel cheated because he told us about this a long time ago. However, as someone who has enjoyed watching him showcase his MMA artistry at the highest level, it’d be better if he gave us one last dance.
