Loudmouth McGregor on the verge of a comeback

If you look at the reporting on Conor McGregor, you would never dream that the “King of Cage Fighters” has been sidelined for over a year. There was no shortage of headlines. Although recently it has been less about spectacular victories in the octagon and more about bar fights and court hearings. McGregor last had to testify in mid-October because he punched an old man in the face in a pub in Dublin. Reason: The gentleman wanted McGregor's whiskey “Proper No. Don't try Twelve.

It's stories like these that should actually make the 31-year-old from Dublin an anti-hero. But for a long time, “The Notorious” only seemed to become more popular with every verbal outburst and public brawl. Until at the end of December, in his home country of all places, he was punished with only 2 percent of the vote in the poll for Ireland's most popular athlete.

So it was time for the mixed martial arts brawler to return to the ring. On the night of January 19th (4.00 a.m./DAZN) McGregor will fight in Las Vegas against Donald Cerrone, who calls himself “Cowboy”. It will be McGregor's first appearance in the octagon since October 2018, when he was beaten by UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Of course, that hasn't changed his big mouth. “I'm going to beat him up. I would even beat him if I had the flu,” McGregor said before the fight against Cerrone: “I will shine. I will create magical moments, like I have done before.” Of course, the former plumber's apprentice no longer has to do the act. According to Forbes, he earned $2018 million between June 2019 and June 47 alone, putting him in the top league of athletes. He previously pocketed a reported $2017 million for his foray into boxing against Floyd Mayweather in August 85.

Maybe McGregor simply had the understanding to take out his aggression in the ring and not on old men in pubs. Nevertheless, there is a lot at stake – for him and for organizers UFC. Despite his long absence, the Irishman is still the superstar of the scene and the organizer's profit maker. McGregor is still too young to retire, and the UFC is planning a rematch against Nurmagomedov that should make the coffers ring.

Without question, MMA has developed from a dirty sport into a mass-compatible event over the past decade. While the UFC was sold for $2001 million in 2, the organization was sold for $2016 billion in 4. In 2018, they signed a contract with ESPN that guarantees $2023 million per year until 300. But the UFC has to fight to maintain the level. Recently, the ratings have fallen and fewer and fewer fans are buying into the events via “pay per view”. In addition, scene star Ronda Rousey was finally lost to the WWE wrestling competition in 2018. The UFC needs loud-mouthed and dazzling stars like McGregor, who can either show off in front of his Lamborghini or his million-dollar country house “Ladycastle”.

However, if McGregor loses to Cerrone, it could be his last fight. That's why the brawler with the bushy beard tortures himself at the Crumlin Boxing Club at Willie Pearse Park in Dublin and posts photos of his toned body on Instagram. Still, rumors circulated that Cerrone would be paid to lose so that the McGregor brand could continue to be milked. “You can’t pay me that much money. “I wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror anymore,” said the 36-year-old, who is himself one of the best fighters in UFC history.

The truth is that the UFC would have a few fewer problems without McGregor. In the long run, the sport cannot be marketed well if the hero is constantly fighting in bars. “If you're not a normal guy but a professional fighter, you can't do something like that. If you’re Conor McGregor, you can’t do it,” UFC President Dana White said. This could definitely be taken as a warning to McGregor.

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Loudmouth McGregor on the verge of a comeback

He is the prototype of a loudmouth - and also one of the highest paid athletes in the world. After more than a year, cage fighter Conor McGregor is getting back in the ring.

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