UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and lightweight king Eddie Alvarez are heading for a UFC 205 clash in November. In many ways this 155-pound championship clash will represent the new age of the UFC. Super fights are not unheard of in the UFC, but are extremely rare. In the UFC’s modern era there’s been only one; BJ Penn vs. Georges St-Pierre. Penn, the lightweight champ of the time, had already fought and lost against ‘GSP.’ The welterweight strap was on the line at UFC 94, and the Canadian champ defended it with a decision win.
There have been a few much-anticipated super fights booked over the years, but none have come to fruition. Jose Aldo was meant to fight Anthony Pettis while they were 145 and 155-pound champs respectively. That fight fell apart due to injury. The difference between these fights and the heavily reported McGregor vs. Alvarez clash is arguably the money aspect. You could argue that pay-per-view and crowd revenue has always been the motivation for any big fight, but never before has this factor been so apparent and flaunted.
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Red Panty Night
The hilarious statement made by Conor McGregor about Rafael dos Anjos at the GO BIG presser is somewhat poignant now. Champions are starting to stray away from the rankings on a frequent basis-why? The cash involved in the big name fights. CM Punk’s UFC debut made the ex-WWE star $500K, while his opponent Mickey Gall made $30K. Those figures don’t even need expanding on, they simply support this argument further.
Tyron Woodley wants GSP, Dominick Cruz wants McGregor, and even Demetrious Johnson is talking about a superfight now. Where this whole saga could get extremely interesting is if McGregor defeats Alvarez. The question of the Irishman’s featherweight title remains unanswered. Although UFC president Dana White said ‘The Notorious’ would have to vacate to fight at UFC 205 at 155 pounds, nothing is certain until it’s done and dusted.
New York, New York
Another major part of the UFC coming in to their new era is the debut of the promotion in New York. For years the UFC battled narrow-minded and corrupt senators in the state, finally cutting the ribbon to the Big Apple earlier this year. It’s almost poetic that the first superfight in more than seven years would mark promotion’s first trip to NYC. What are the ramifications of a victory for McGregor though, or Alvarez for that matter?
It’s a win-win situation for the Irish star, perhaps even more so if he’s able to keep his featherweight title in the meantime. In terms of money it’ll be great for both men, but arguably ‘The Silent Assassin’ has a lot more on the line. Only the lightweight belt will be up for grabs, putting the ball firmly in Alvarez’s court.
Future
As the rankings slide further in to obscurity, the dollar sign reveals itself as king. Fuelling that green throne is Conor McGregor, who ushers in the new age of money fights. One huge and rather intriguing question-who takes over after ‘The Notorious’ is gone? Ronda Rousey is arguably up there in terms of PPV draws, but these kinds of stars are few and far between. Will the focus shift back from money and to rankings, or is this more than just a flavor of the month?
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