Conor McGregor Tells Frankie Edgar ‘The Real Numbers Don’t Lie’
It’s hardly a secret that No. 5-ranked UFC featherweight Conor McGregor is dangerously close to a 145-pound title shot heading into his UFC Fight Night 58 main event against Dennis Siver.
With four wins in a row since debuting in the UFC in April 2013, “Notorious” has not only proven his worth in the cage, but mainly with his creative trash talk and most importantly, his electric drawing power that brings the whole Irish Nation behind it.
A closely contested debate recently arose, however, when Frankie Edgar destroyed Cub Swanson at November 22’s UFC Fight Night 57 from Austin, Texas.
Many felt that the No. 2-ranked Edgar deserved to rematch division champ Jose Aldo, to whom he lost a decision at UFC 156. Others felt that McGregor deserves the shot if he beats Siver as most are predicting (he opened up as a 10-to-1 favorite yesterday).
An online poll begged the question as to just who deserved the next featherweight title shot, and in a bit of an upset, Edgar edged out McGregor by a narrow margin.
Not surprisingly, a response soon came from “Notorious,” who tweeted that while Edgar may have won the poll, he holds a big advantage in the so-called “real numbers,” which he deemed the live gates of the events he’s recently fought at:
@FrankieEdgar McGregor Vs Brandao $1.4million. McGregor Vs Poirier $2.2 million. Edgar Vs Cub $640k. #TheREALnumbersDontLie. Conor bless.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 30, 2014
McGregor may have a solid point here, because he no doubt brings in attention and buzz like few, if any, fighters can today.
His numbers dwarf Swanson vs. Edgar in terms of live attendance, but it must be remembered that UFC 178 was an already massive event that, while unofficially headlined by McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier, also had several high-level bouts on the card.
It was also the home of the previously scheduled Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier grudge match, a fight that fell apart after already selling many tickets before “Bones” was forced out with a knee injury.
But all other reasons aside, McGregor may indeed get the next shot because of his ability to generate hype and revenue. He’s the only top featherweight to have never lost to Aldo, a distinction that definitely adds some interest to the bout.
The fans may want Edgar to fight for the belt next, but ultimately the UFC is a business that comes down to making a profit. With the UFC’s bottom line suffering in a big way during 2014, the promotion can use all the blockbuster events it can muster.
Edgar may have earned his rematch at Aldo, but that fight unfortunately may not be the homerun that the UFC is looking for. On the other hand, Aldo vs. McGregor just may be.
Will the UFC listen to their fans, or will they go for the big dollar signs? That should all depend on how “Notorious” performs in Boston this January.
Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
