5. Lack Of Stars
WME-IMG purchased the company at the exact wrong time, and Zuffa sold at the perfect one. UFC was in a golden period of profitable stars at the time of the sale. The UFC had Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, the Diaz brothers, Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, and even Brock Lesnar, who had just returned at UFC 200.
Then what happens after WME-IMG purchase the company? Oh, just this:
– Brock Lesnar fails a drug test, retires from the sport.
– Ronda Rousey is destroyed by Amanda Nunes, probably never fights again.Â
– Jon Jones failed a drug test before UFC 200 (before the deal with WME-IMG was announced, but likely after it had been finalized privately).
– Diaz brothers seemingly have become uninterested in fighting.
– Anderson Silva looks terrible against Derek Brunson, then threatens to retire.
– Conor McGregor possibly leaves the sport for good to make $100 million in one night against Floyd.
On the flip-side, Georges St. Pierre is returning. He’s holding up the entire middleweight division, but he’s returning all the same.
