If Conor McGregor actually books a super fight against Floyd Mayweather, Tyron Woodley thinks that will mark the end of his UFC career.
It had been laughed off as a joke since the rumours of a potential combat sports crossover extravaganza between ‘Money’ and ‘the Notorious’ first started spreading all those moons ago. However, the Dubliner’s latest actions while he’s taking some time off from the Octagon only served to kick the rumour mill back into life again.
While savouring his history-making performance at UFC 205, and presumably waiting for the UFC’s new owners to finally talk business with him, McGregor was granted a boxing licence by the California State Athletic Commission.
Some suspected that this was a move just to get the attention of the UFC in order to secure some of that equity he’s been looking for. Others thought that this was a step towards that super fight against ‘Money’ actually materialising. The latter option may be more plausible than you might think.
As UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley told TMZ Sports, he doesn’t believe McGregor is really messing around by applying for a licence. With that much money at stake, he feels that McGregor would jump at the opportunity to fight Floyd.
“For the fans that think it’s a bluff, it’s not really a bluff. If Conor decided, ‘you know what? I want to walk in and take this $100 million fight against Floyd Mayweather.’ No one, including myself, could knock him for doing that or ‘he’s scared to fight,’ that’s not anything.”
He sees the incentive for Mayweather as fairly simple – it would be a way for him to improve his pristine record to a nice, even number for the biggest payday that’s readily available. Although the retired pugilist isn’t exactly short of a few shillings, he knows that a ‘Money’ showcase coupled with a ‘Red Panty Night’ would be something unlike anything the combat sports world has seen before.
“Floyd doesn’t need Conor. Floyd doesn’t need to fight again. I think Floyd just sees the opportunity and he sees he could get 50-0. I can’t imagine he’s blowing through all the money he’s made. He could get a fight, he could someone and make a lot of money, but the amount of money he would make with Conor just because it’s a big crossover and back-and-forth talk, I think he would make more money fighting Conor McGregor than any boxer in the game right now.”
Different types of MMA fans can have vastly different experiences with the sport but still enjoy it on the same level. Some are captivated the storylines, the drama, the trash talk and everything that happens outside the cage. Others marvel at the beautiful brutality of combat – the constant evolution of art forms that have been developed over thousands of years until two athletes at the zenith of the sport try out these techniques inside the cage to see what is the key to winning a modern fight in its purist form.
McGregor’s charisma and showmanship mixed with his amazing talents as a fighter has seen him appeal to both groups (although he isn’t without his detractors). His skill-set is just as undeniable as the amount of eyes he’s brought to the sport and that’s why there’s something upsetting about him departing the UFC before we’ve seen the extent of his potential. This is exactly what Woodley feels would happen if he gets the Mayweather bout.
“If Conor wants to make this type of money in boxing, I guess you could say he needs Floyd to make that type of money. I can’t see Conor McGregor fighting MMA again if he actually makes a fight with Floyd.”
The show must go on, even when the brightest star has left. No doubt that should McGregor manage to get this fight and walk away from the sport for good, his achievements inside the Octagon has already solidified his position as one of the greats.
