UFC interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor. John Locher
John Locher
IF CONOR McGREGOR defeats Jose Aldo later this year, his first title defence as the UFC’s undisputed featherweight champion will take place at Croke Park.
That’s according to UFC president Dana White, who says McGregor’s reward for ending Aldo’s 10-year undefeated streak will be a main-event slot in his hometown for what would be the biggest event in Ultimate Fighting Championship history.
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White was speaking during an appearance on Australia’s NRL Footy Show along with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who headlines UFC 193 at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne against Holly Holm on 15 November, which could break the UFC’s current attendance record of 55,724.
When asked about McGregor fighting in Ireland, White said:
“If he beats Jose Aldo in Las Vegas in December, the next fight will be at Croke Park. We told him he could defend his title at Croke Park.”
McGregor won the UFC’s interim featherweight title in July when he defeated Chad Mendes, but he’ll need to overcome Aldo at UFC 194 in Las Vegas on 12 December before being crowned the undisputed king of the 145lbs division.
One of the big drawbacks for the UFC in staging an event at Croke Park would be a significant loss in pay-per-view revenue which would come with broadcasting such a big fight outside of a primetime slot in the US due to the time difference.
“We’re 100% confident that we can sell out Croke Park with a Conor McGregor fight, so it’s not a question of the Irish fans or the demand here,” said Carr. “As we think about our global business, the challenge is if we do Croke Park in primetime here in Dublin on a pay-per-view, that means it’s the afternoon in the US, which causes some headwinds from a pay-per-view buy perspective. So that’s more of a financial decision.
“Croke Park would be a brand statement for the business. It’s hard to financially quantify the return on a brand statement like that but you can’t tell me that it wouldn’t have a lasting impact and a spill-over effect on our European business. And even our American business.
“We’re not thinking short-term profitability. We’re thinking about the sport five, ten, twenty years down the road. And that’s going to pick up more steam and momentum as we get closer to December and the outcome of that fight with Jose Aldo.”
Conor McGregor is one win away from fighting at Croke Park
IF CONOR McGREGOR defeats Jose Aldo later this year, his first title defence as the UFC’s undisputed featherweight champion will take place at Croke Park.
That’s according to UFC president Dana White, who says McGregor’s reward for ending Aldo’s 10-year undefeated streak will be a main-event slot in his hometown for what would be the biggest event in Ultimate Fighting Championship history.
White was speaking during an appearance on Australia’s NRL Footy Show along with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who headlines UFC 193 at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne against Holly Holm on 15 November, which could break the UFC’s current attendance record of 55,724.
When asked about McGregor fighting in Ireland, White said:
McGregor won the UFC’s interim featherweight title in July when he defeated Chad Mendes, but he’ll need to overcome Aldo at UFC 194 in Las Vegas on 12 December before being crowned the undisputed king of the 145lbs division.
One of the big drawbacks for the UFC in staging an event at Croke Park would be a significant loss in pay-per-view revenue which would come with broadcasting such a big fight outside of a primetime slot in the US due to the time difference.
However, speaking exclusively to The42 earlier this month, Joe Carr — the UFC’s Vice President of International Development — said that a show at Croke Park would be a long-term investment in the growth of the organisation.
“We’re 100% confident that we can sell out Croke Park with a Conor McGregor fight, so it’s not a question of the Irish fans or the demand here,” said Carr. “As we think about our global business, the challenge is if we do Croke Park in primetime here in Dublin on a pay-per-view, that means it’s the afternoon in the US, which causes some headwinds from a pay-per-view buy perspective. So that’s more of a financial decision.
“Croke Park would be a brand statement for the business. It’s hard to financially quantify the return on a brand statement like that but you can’t tell me that it wouldn’t have a lasting impact and a spill-over effect on our European business. And even our American business.
“We’re not thinking short-term profitability. We’re thinking about the sport five, ten, twenty years down the road. And that’s going to pick up more steam and momentum as we get closer to December and the outcome of that fight with Jose Aldo.”
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Conor McGregor Dana White Jose Aldo MMA UFC UFC 194