Eddie Hearn, CEO of Matchroom Sports, believes the UFC should do whatever it takes to bring Conor McGregor back to the cage, stating that McGregor’s return would inject enthusiasm and vibrancy into the sport, boost business value, ratings, and pay-per-view numbers.
Eddie Hearn’s got a firm belief. He thinks the UFC should pull out all the stops to get Conor McGregor back in the octagon.
For a while now, the MMA world has been buzzing with rumors of McGregor’s return. It’s been almost a year since we last saw him in action. Remember when he broke his leg in that trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021? Yeah, that was the last time.
Since then, there’s been a lot of talk about when he might return. Even McGregor himself hinted at a comeback in June, during International Fight Week. But Dana White, UFC’s big boss, doesn’t seem to agree. He recently suggested that McGregor might not be back until fall.
Hearn, who’s got a bit of a rapport with McGregor, doesn’t buy it. He thinks it’s all just part of the negotiation game.
“I chat with Conor pretty often,” Hearn said on The MMA Hour. “I’m pretty sure he wants to fight. But the deal’s gotta be right.”
Hearn’s got a point. Sometimes, you gotta give ’em what they want, for the good of the sport and the business. It’s not always about the money. It’s about what it means to the business, the reputation, the opportunities.
Hearn’s not just talking out of his hat. He’s the CEO of Matchroom Sports, one of the biggest boxing promoters in the world. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in combat sports, like Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, and Katie Taylor.
Hearn’s convinced that McGregor is the biggest draw in combat sports. He thinks the UFC would be wise to take a bit of a financial hit to get McGregor back. The other benefits, he says, are priceless.
Hearn’s got a strategy. “It’s like with Canelo,” he said. “You start off with a percentage, and it goes down. But that’s just what happens when someone’s making big bucks.”
Hearn knows it’s easier said than done. McGregor’s a tough cookie to crack. He doesn’t need to keep fighting. But Hearn thinks it’s worth the effort.
“Conor will be a handful,” Hearn admitted. “But he’s worth it. He’s a legend. A great self-promoter. I don’t know if he’s still got it, but you put him in with someone he’s got a good chance of winning against.”
Hearn’s got a vision for what McGregor can do for the UFC. “But sometimes with big corporations, like TKO, there’s headbutting,” he said. “They say, ‘This is the deal. Take it or leave it.’ That’s what happened with Ngannou. But for Conor, whatever it takes, I’m bringing him back. He can do what no one else can. And he knows it.”