“Conor Is The Biggest Thing In Combat Sports”

With the equivalent of two million pay-per-view buys for his first fight in 15-months, plus digital viewership for his episodes of UFC 246 Embedded, it’s hard to deny Conor McGregor as one of the biggest stars in Mixed Martial Arts.

“I think the thing about Conor, he’s a polarizing figure,” McGregor’s manager Audie Attar said to MMA Fighting of McGregor and his return to action last weekend. “There’s people that love him and there’s people that don’t like him. At the end of the day, I think you always have the latter trying to discredit him in anyway. The numbers don’t lie. The energy doesn’t lie.

“So when you’re either there witnessing the droves of fans packing in and selling out a weigh-in or the energy come fight night or the reports you’re now reading about the success of the event and the pay-per-view, that shows you Conor McGregor’s star power.”

“[Conor’s star power] is just as strong as it is today, and it will continue to grow as he continues to accomplish the things he’s set out to do professionally and athletically,” Attar continued. “I’m excited about it. I think we’ve done so much from a professional standpoint up to this day. He’s done so much athletically up to this point but the best is yet to come.

“I think we’re getting back into the excitement of this story and this journey. I’m just super proud of him and his journey. The best is yet to come.”

“Conor is a global superstar,” Attar said as McGregor’s brand has extended into advertising partnerships and the launch of his Proper Twelve Whiskey, which was an immediate success. “Now we’ve launched a whiskey company, we have an apparel company, we have a fitness venture launching, we have all these different businesses going on. It’s always busy but I think when you throw in three fight cards for him as well for him to be on and headline, it takes things to a different level.

“Yes it’s going to be busy but we welcome that. We’re super excited for it. I think we’re all on the same page when it comes to ambition and goals and so that’s really fun to see when you’re entire team is in sync. I think we all welcome that type of work load. We don’t look at it as pressure. We look at it as opportunity.”

Not only do fellow UFC fighters Jorge Masvidal and Justin Gathje want their crack at the former UFC double champion, but former opponent and retired boxer Floyd Mayweather wants a rematch, and WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford wants a split-series with McGregor inside the Octagon and a boxing ring.

“That’s just a testament to Conor’s star power,” Attar said. “Whether it’s MMA and the fans in the UFC trying to decide who’s next, now it’s the boxing world putting their best foot forward because everybody wants a red panty night. That’s the reality of it.

“Conor McGregor is the biggest thing in combat sports. Period.”