LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the history of MMA, and that doesn’t seem destined to change anytime soon.
The 20,062 fans in attendance for Saturday’s UFC 264 were very much at T-Mobile Arena to catch a glimpse of McGregor, a fact made evident by the number of cell phones in the air when he entered the octagon, as well as the volume of the boos that erupted when his opponent entered the building.
But with his journey from plumber’s assistant to global icon more than complete, I find myself hoping “The Notorious” has a third act planned once he’s able to set foot inside a cage once again.
Earlier this year, when McGregor took on Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi in a heavily hyped rematch of their original 2014 meeting, it seemed the brash Irishman was penning a new chapter. Respectful of Poirier as a fellow father and sportsman, McGregor went so far as to pledge a hefty donation to his opponent’s charity fund. The image of McGregor and Poirier on the stage at ceremonial weigh-ins – embracing, the former UFC double-champ holding a bottle of his opponent’s Louisiana Style Hot Sauce in the air – seemed to suggest the future UFC Hall of Famer had found a way to sell pay-per-views without painting every clash as a bitter rivalry.
Poirier prevailed that night with a second-round TKO at January’s UFC 257 to set up their trilogy fight.
McGregor’s approach to fight week this time around was much darker, taking to social media to post an…
