McGregor: UFC ‘ignored’ proposed dates, lost millions of PPV buys

Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images

Conor McGregor said his plan was to fight four times in 2020. Conor McGregor says he planned to fight four times in 2020, but the UFC ignored three dates he put forward for potential fights.
After over a…

McGregor v Cerrone

Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images

Conor McGregor said his plan was to fight four times in 2020.

Conor McGregor says he planned to fight four times in 2020, but the UFC ignored three dates he put forward for potential fights.

After over a year away from the sport, McGregor (22-4) returned at UFC 246 this January when he defeated Donald Cerrone by stoppage in just 40-seconds. The Irishman came out of that fight unscathed and was eager to rack up several fights in the calendar year, including a rematch against the now-retired Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“After being ignored on the 3 dates I put forward. (3 consecutive dates I might add! Would have had me at 4 fights this calendar year) Followed then by being sidelined because no crowds in attendance, I said f—k this and bounced. 4 fights this era = 6mill PPV buys. How much lost?,” McGregor tweeted.

The former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion revealed in June that he was (again) retired from fighting. McGregor’s retirement always seemed sudden and out of the blue, so it wasn’t surprising that a few months later the Irishman challenged Dustin Poirier to an exhibition sparring match for charity, a bout that would have no affiliation with the UFC.

The uncertainty of the fight continues however, as UFC president Dana White said the rematch between McGregor and Poirier was a “done deal”, but Poirier has told the promotion to send him the right contract and “stop playing games.”