Makes it a fun time to see these guys rise.
Target_the_Gash -No, most fighters other than Conor and GSP do not have an entire nation behind them that will collectively empty their piggy banks into their coffers every time they perform.
The main thing that set McGregor aside form everybody else and what made him able to issue demands is the massive amount of support he brings to the box office whenever he competes, most of which he had before he got to the UFC. Sure it was built on his fighting ability but nobody else could guarantee thay would bring a couple thousand ticket sales to the box office along with selling a massive amount of PPVs every single time they compete. He was able to show that he could bring the numbers before he demanded to be pushed hard by the UFC.
Having a string of first round finishes also helps alot to build buzz. Rousey was 6-0 with 6 first round finishes before stepping in the octyagon, Conor was 12-2 with 9 first round finishes and all of his fights not going the distance, Even GSP was 5-0 with 4 1st round finishes and all of his fights not going the distance, Jon Jones is in similar territory.
Ortega may eventually be a star, and certainly could become a big star down the road if he keeps winning fights quickly and decisively, but he has a long way to go and is a little late to go to instant superstar status. There are tons of dominant fighters ahead of him that have barely managed to gain any notoriety in the public domain. Even most famous boxers are not superstars, JonJones was not really a superstar (certainly never reached Rousey-GSP-McG levels), it just doesn't happen all that often.
If Ortega manages to win the belt and then defend it multiple times he might be just starting to reach superstar status, and thats only if he catches on with the casuals somehow. I bet most of them have no idea who he is and certainly didn't tune in last night to watch him beat somebody else they don't know or care about.
Good talk. Pretty much agree with everything you said, except I think Jones has reached or even surpassed GSP status in terms of drawing power.