For a year we’ve heard Conor McGregor praise the business deals he and the UFC have been able to make. It’s made him a rich man and has made the UFC the most money in the promotion’s history.
The partnership worked well and was the perfect formula for large gates and PPV sales. The fault in the plan is McGregor’s idea that he was the equal of the UFC. At the end of the day the UFC gave McGregor the platform to make his money and build his brand. Until today Conor didn’t realize that it could be taken away as fast as it appeared but UFC President Dana White always knew it.
That’s why Dana White had no problem smiling and brushing off Conor’s outlandish claims of 50/50 earnings and co-promotion.
The UFC isn’t boxing, it isn’t a promotional company surrounded by other promoters and McGregor isn’t Mayweather or De La Hoya. The UFC is more like the NBA or NFL. It’s an organization and no one person is bigger than the shield. Dana White saw Georges St-Pierre walk away when his promotion was in desperate need of superstars, he suspended his best fighter Jon Jones for his run-ins with the law and he saw Brock Lesnar take several losses when he was at the zenith of the MMA world.
Point being, Dana White and the UFC know that no matter how large one fighter may seem there’s always another coming to take that spot. As long as they maintain the power of their shield they’ll be able to get the best talent from around the world and continue to build mega-stars.
Conor McGregor doesn’t see the trend, and he shouldn’t, because the lights are blinding when they’re all pointed at one person. Being removed from UFC 200 is a rude awakening for McGregor and those that’ll follow him in the UFC.
The NBA had LeBron & Kobe after Jordan retired, the NFL had Brady & Manning after Elway and the UFC will have superstars after McGregor.