Conor McGregor States He’s Agreed To $100 Million Contract With UFC
Heading into his scheduled bout with Jose Aldo at July’s UFC 189, Irish trash talker Conor McGregor said he was aiming to sign a unprecedented 0 million contract with the UFC.
Now that he destroyed Aldo in the main event of last Saturday’s (December 12, 2015) UFC 194 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, ‘The Notorious’ has apparently attained that lofty goal.
Speaking up in a post-fight interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, McGregor said that he had the blockbuster deal in place:
“We have sorted a deal already. It is a very good one. When you bring in a $10.1 million gate, back-to-back MGM records, the pay-per-views that we’re bringing in here, it’s nothing but good business—times are good.”
The $10.1 million gate at UFC 194 ranks as the second largest in promotion history only to 2011’s UFC 129, so it’s hardly a surprise that the UFC wants to lock McGregor up for the long haul, and they’re apparently willing to pay handsomely to do so.
With that established, the focus is on McGregor’s next move, and that could entail a variety of options. The instant rematch with Aldo is always there, and of course a featherweight title bout with Frankie Edgar is the logical choice at 145 pounds, but McGregor could also move up to 155 pounds to take on the winner of this Saturday’s UFC on FOX 17 main event between champ Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone.
With options abound, whatever that move may be will be up to McGregor, as he believes he’s earned the right to call his next shot:
“There’s options; and I make the decision on this. I feel I’ve earned the right to make decisions on this, so I’ll see what way it forms. I’ll listen to all angles and then I’ll make a decision.”
Now that ‘The Notorious’ is the UFC’s biggest draw, his silver tongue and the fighting skills to back it up have most likely lent him the ability to pick his shot, and there is certainly no shortage of quality match-ups available. Who should he take on next?
