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10th Feb 2017

Joe Rogan believes only two UFC fights would convince Conor McGregor to stick around

"If he wins that... Jesus f***ing Christ, now he's through the roof"

Patrick McCarry

I’m 28 years of age. I’m a young pup. I’m not even in my prime yet. The Floyd situation will happen and then I’ll roll back in.”

Conor McGregor sounds pretty sure of himself when it comes to his prospective boxing encounter with Floyd Mayweather Jr. We should expect nothing less.

Most of us expected ‘The Notorious’ would return in August for a major UFC pay-per-view event, following the summertime arrival of his first child and a sprig of paternity leave thrown in for good measure.

McGregor has his sights set on a Mayweather fight, though, that he believes will generate $1 billion.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan does not doubt the Dubliner when it comes to his quest to take on the undefeated Mayweather but he still feels there is money to be made in MMA. On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, he declared:

“Nate Diaz and McGregor III [their trilogy bout] is the big one. That, I think, brings in close to two million pay-per-view buys. I really do. 

“He did 1.5 [Note: closer to 1.6m] million for Diaz II and 1.3 million for the Eddie Alvarez fight, where he won the lightweight title.

“The other one is Tyron Woodley or whoever wins the rematch between Woodley and Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson for the 170-pound title. That is an interesting fight too because if he goes up, challenges at 170 and wins that… Jesus f***ing Christ, now he’s through the roof.

“Now he’s the biggest star in sports. He becomes this gigantic, huge, global, world-wide phenomenon. That’s entirely within the realm of possibility.”

Rogan believes McGregor would not go into a welterweight title fight as underdog, against either Thompson or Woodley, but his crisp striking and speed would give him every chance of capturing a third different UFC strap. He also feels a properly marketed McGregor fight at 170lbs would rake in between 1.5 and 2m PPV buys.

“In a couple of fights,” Rogan added, “he could make what he could make in that one Floyd Mayweather fight.” For the record, Mayweather’s fight with Manny Pacquaio took in 4.6m PPV buys.

To be honest, we’d be more than happy with a fight against either of the four men mentioned.