The UFC has never been in a more successful spot than it is now, yet it’s facing its biggest issue: the casual audience seems less engaged than in years prior. It continues to pump out events week after week that include a lot of watered-down cards. With this oversaturation and an emphasis on quantity over quality, even hardcore fans have started to feel fatigued. This is why a Conor McGregor return on July 11th is essential and could be that shot of adrenaline that is needed to remind everyone how fun this sport can be.
It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of his or not; there is no denying that McGregor is by far the biggest star the sport has ever seen. It doesn’t matter that he hasn’t fought since January of 2021 or that he’s lost his last two fights. It doesn’t even matter that he’ll be stepping back into the octagon just days before his thirty-eighth birthday. What actually matters is that he will instantaneously bring with him millions of viewers who might not have tuned in since his last fight.
It’s not as though the UFC hasn’t produced some big stars and fan favorites, but they haven’t been able to capture the audience the way McGregor did in 2021 when he last fought. When McGregor fights, it’s just at a different level. He can draw on more than the traditional fanbase. Of course, the casual viewership is enhanced, but sports fans tune in, as do celebrities alike. The truth is, there have been very few athletes who have been able to have that crossover appeal to that magnitude.
The proof is in the pudding. Look no further than his rivalry fights with Nate Diaz, his championship performances with Jose Aldo & Eddie Alvarez, or his historically successful boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. McGregor has shown the ability to capture global headlines that the UFC has not been able to replicate. It’s important to remember that it’s not just talent that is needed to gain public interest, but charisma and the ability to sell to the audience.
There have been many credible champions that the hardcore fanbase respects, fighters such as Islam Makhachev, Alexander Volkanovski, and Petr Yan, to name a few. They are all phenomenal, but they can’t get over the hump in terms of popularity. When McGregor fights, it feels like the world stops momentarily to tune in to see the spectacle.
It’s not just the fights, though. His press conferences are must-see TV. During the McGregor/Khabib Nurmagomedov press conference, live viewership topped five hundred thousand. Even mainstream media outlets that don’t look MMA’s way make sure to cover every development in the process, from fight announcement to post-fight press conference. That level of coverage seems almost impossible to duplicate.
I can’t emphasize the importance of the casual eye enough. If you look at the UFC’s highest numbers in pay-per-view history, they were headlined by combatants who transcend the sport. The biggest were fighters such as Ronda Rousey (who broke the gender barrier), Brock Lesnar (WWE crossover), and the aforementioned McGregor. By far the most financially successful has been McGregor, “Notorious.”
There’s an old expression, “a high tide raises all ships”. I think that is another aspect that McGregor brings that is often overlooked. When he fights, it benefits the rest of the roster. Fans and non-fans alike tune in and get to see other lesser-known fighters that become linked to McGregor going forward. If they are fortunate enough to fight McGregor himself, they have the potential to become stars themselves. The most shining example to me is Diaz.
The UFC has been operating from a position of brand strength, and that has kept it at the top, but the ability to sell its events because of stars and not just the brand is a recipe for mega-success. If you look at other sports, the NBA had Michael Jordan. The NHL had Wayne Gretzky. Golf had Tiger Woods. The sport is always bigger when it’s carried by a superstar.
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The UFC has proven that they don’t need McGregor to thrive. He would undoubtedly help, though, in recapturing the casual audience, generate plenty of mainstream buzz, and create unforgettable events that few athletes have ever been able to. The viewing audience has shown time after time that they get up for larger-than-life personalities that transcend the sport. Whether they will be watching as a fan, rooting to see him lose, or checking in to see what all the hoopla is, they will be tuning in. This is why the return of McGregor is essential in reconnecting with the casual viewers and reminding everyone of the power of the star.
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