Should Conor McGregor Become Part Owner Of The UFC?

Before Conor McGregor challenged Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, the Irishman teased of a blockbuster announcement that he would make after the fight. McGregor ended up walking away with a new gold-plated strap.

McGregor made history by becoming the first UFC fighter to hold two different division titles simultaneously. He needed less than two rounds to dispose of Alvarez and possess both UFC lightweight and featherweight belts.

Although McGregor was the first UFC fighter to accomplish the rare feat in nearly 23 years, it was not enough to satiate his hunger for more.

McGregor now seeks to have a sumptuous slice of the proverbial pie before agreeing to his next fight.

McGregor is the Highest Earning MMA Fighter in History

During the post-fight press conference, McGregor demanded for part-ownership of the company

The UFC was sold earlier this year for approximately $4-billion to entertainment agency WME-IMG. The shocking sale also unveiled a long list of high-profile celebrity owners.

McGregor, a shrewd businessman, has made his desire known clearly to the UFC. McGregor aims to have a continuous supply of cold cash even until he eventually retires.

From a certain perspective, McGregor indeed deserves a slice of the UFC pie because he has been the biggest pay-per-view draw since 2015. It makes business sense because the man is THE golden ticket.

McGregor Fights Always Generate Tremendous Revenue

For his first three headlining PPV events, McGregor had 3.5-million buys, which is an incredible average of over 1.1 million per fight card. The numbers have effortlessly identified him as the number one draw in the sport.

In contrast, McGregor’s removal from UFC 200 only seemed to increase the hype for his rematch with Nate Diaz. The second encounter at UFC 202 is estimated to have smashed pay-per-view records and secured around 1.65-million buys.

McGregor’s goal from the start has been to make truck loads of cash and to get out of the prizefighting business as soon as possible.

On his own, McGregor registered almost double the figures that were achieved by the entire UFC roster in 2014.

Thanks For The Cheese: McGregor Looks For Part-Ownership In The UFC

McGregor has a strong case to petition a stake in the company as he produced great numbers to add to the UFC’s multi-billion dollar bank account.

However, there is a noteworthy downside if the UFC accedes to McGregor’s desire of having part-ownership in the organization. It will eventually create a conflict of interest.

At the end of the day, McGregor is still a signed fighter of the UFC. His involvement in this business aspect will further fan the flames of despise and jealousy in the locker room as he is already branded a spoiled brat.

Simply put, McGregor just cannot have a stake in the company — at least until he’s retired. There’s no conceivable way a competing athlete can possibly have any influence over the business. It’s the same in any industry, in any office. Conflicts of interest just won’t fly if McGregor becomes part owner.

Conor McGregor Always Makes It Rain

With the current payout structure of the sport, many fighters are still ailing with how low they put in the bank. Despite MMA being a high-revenue generating combat sport, fighters undoubtedly get the worst of it. Meanwhile, McGregor has the luxury of having six zeroes consistently on his paycheck.

Appreciating his value further with a part-ownership stake in the UFC will put his future opponents and other fighters into a monetary disadvantage. It will also further vindicate the notion that everything is served on a silver platter for McGregor.

For the greater benefit of the UFC and MMA, it’s better for “Mystic Mac” to stay away from the dirty business of the sport until he calls it a day and retires from active competition.