Former champion mentions BKFC, says he wants in 'as soon as possible'

Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor [Getty Images]
Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor [Getty Images]

Conor "The Notorious" McGregor, 38, widely regarded as the greatest star in UFC history, has signaled a split from the promotion.

McGregor made his intentions clear in a recent social media post, laying out his plans for after his UFC contract expires. "One fight left," he wrote. "One more fight and Mac Daddy is a free man."

He also expressed a desire to compete in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship events. "BKFC is unstoppable right now," he wrote. "The last few months have been incredible. God bless. God bless real fighting. I want in as soon as possible."

The post reads less like a negotiating tactic to secure better terms with the UFC and more like a genuine signal that he intends to part ways with the promotion once his contract runs out.

McGregor ended a five-year absence when he headlined UFC 329 against Max Holloway on July 11. He suffered a serious right knee injury while landing after his first kick attempt and was stopped by TKO just 69 seconds into the first round. He underwent surgery shortly after and now faces at least another year of rehabilitation.

Many analysts are skeptical about his future prospects, noting that he had already suffered a leg injury in the fight before his comeback and that a string of injuries had forced him to withdraw from bouts in the intervening years. Given that he is 38, some have concluded he can never return to the prime form he showed during his title-winning years.

His drawing power, however, remains intact. The July comeback fight generated $25 million in gate revenue — the highest in UFC history. That said, with expectations now tempered again, there is no guarantee his box-office appeal will hold for what would be his final fight under the UFC contract, expected after July next year.

In that context, McGregor appears to be pursuing a strategy of floating the idea of fights with other organizations or in boxing — rather than approaching the UFC from a position of weakness — in order to maximize his market value when he becomes a free agent.

McGregor became a co-owner of BKFC two years ago after acquiring a stake in the bare-knuckle boxing promotion, and he has repeatedly mentioned the organization — both in this post and previously — hinting that he wants to compete as a fighter. Even if he never actually steps into a BKFC bout, simply raising the prospect boosts his own profile and the promotion's visibility.

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has also recently added fuel to the speculation, telling a Russian media outlet that a boxing match with McGregor is a possibility. "I heard there's quite a lot of money involved," Makhachev said. "Regardless of the purse, if it's a fight against McGregor, I want it."


yjc@heraldcorp.com