Eddie Hearn believes the UFC should do whatever it takes to get Conor McGregor back in the cage.
For nearly a year now, one of the biggest stories in MMA has been McGregor’s possible return to action. Absent from MMA since snapping his leg in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor has been linked to a number of possible return dates over the past 12 months, most recently when “Notorious” himself said that he will be back in June to headline International Fight Week. But UFC CEO Dana White disagrees, recently saying that McGregor won’t be back in the cage until at least the fall and suggesting that the former two-division champion is content to sit on his many millions instead of fight again.
But Hearn, who has a relationship with McGregor, doesn’t buy that, saying that this is all part of the negotiation process.
“I talk to Conor quite a bit and [I believe he wants to fight],” Hearn said Monday on The MMA Hour. “I still think he’s going to want the deal to be right. There comes a point where — sometimes you’ll do a show where you have to give them what they want, because it’s in the best interest of the sport and the business. Maybe I could make more money on a small show than I do promoting Canelo Alvarez, but what does it mean to my business? What does it mean to DAZN? What does it mean to my reputation with fighters and my opportunity to sign young Mexican fighters coming through?
“In many instances, you take a bath to deliver. If it was me — and it’s not me, and Dana certainly doesn’t need my advice — but I’m bringing McGregor back, whatever it costs. He injects an enthusiasm and a vibrancy into the UFC that no one else can. There is no one in the sport who can make it happen for the UFC and MMA like Conor McGregor. When he comes back, the press conferences, the build up, the value of the business, the ratings, the pay-per-view numbers [all go up].”
“In many instances, you take a bath to deliver. If it was me — and it’s not me, and Dana certainly doesn’t need my advice — but I’m bringing McGregor back, whatever it costs."
lol
lol he’s trolling
if he speaks to Conor regularly, he knows that he’s strung out and no way gonna fight again.
but he’s hedging his bets trying to walk Dana onto a painful fee to get him in there.
none of it will happen; Conor will keep getting wasted and declaring his comeback will be epic until he’s 42.
The UFC existed before conor, they will exist after conor. “Stars” are created and they come and go.
This is why Conman is what he is.
Surrounded by idiotic yes men. Such a great “friend” Hearn is blowing so much smoke up his ass.