Is UFC using GSP to push out McGregor?

Filthy

Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Seems like UFC expects GSP to beat Bisping, drop down and take out Woodley. In that scenario, Conor's "specialness" is diminished and UFC gains the upper hand in their business relationship, GSP lays claim to GOAT, and they get to wring max mileage out of their new contract with him. They've basically lined up Conor to fight two guys with styles that present him a lot of problems (Nate D and Khabib), and IIRC he's only got 4 fights left on his contract. A contract that's paying him a bundle.

And I don't think they want Woodley holding the belt in the GSP division. 🙂
 
This whole macgregor v mayweather thing smells funny to me. I've seen on that show UFC tonight, they were talking about the matchup. I would think that if they wanted to run their typical smear campaign that they've done in the past, they would either be running nonstop replays of macgregor getting choked out, or they would avoid his name altogether. The last thing I would expect them to do is promote the matchup by simply mentioning it, but they are running with it. Sumtins up y'all. I don't think Conor and ufc are exactly on the outs.
 
Greenbean said:
This whole macgregor v mayweather thing smells funny to me. I've seen on that show UFC tonight, they were talking about the matchup. I would think that if they wanted to run their typical smear campaign that they've done in the past, they would either be running nonstop replays of macgregor getting choked out, or they would avoid his name altogether. The last thing I would expect them to do is promote the matchup by simply mentioning it, but they are running with it. Sumtins up y'all. I don't think Conor and ufc are exactly on the outs.
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they're paying him $16-20M/fight, plus PPV points and whatever other incentives are in his contract. They're not going to bury him now, but they're putting him on road. If he turns around and appreciates how well they've managed his career, he can still be a good return on their investment. But as it stands, I think they two parties are very far apart on his value.

The whole mayweather thing is just free publicity, and that's never bad when you're a promoter. For either side.
 
Check it out. Here's a short clip and there have been other segments mentioning it. It seems that if it does go down, they have their hands already in the cookie jar. No way they set this precedent without getting PAID.

 
Filthy said:
they're paying him $16-20M/fight, plus PPV points and whatever other incentives are in his contract. They're not going to bury him now, but they're putting him on road. If he turns around and appreciates how well they've managed his career, he can still be a good return on their investment. But as it stands, I think they two parties are very far apart on his value.

The whole mayweather thing is just free publicity, and that's never bad when you're a promoter. For either side.
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I don't think he's making that much before ppv points. I do believe he's probably walki away with close to that figure all in all (per fight) though.

Also, UFC isn't in the business to do good by fighters in hopes the fighter stays with them after they've reflected on their career and how well they've been treated. They are in the business to use you up and spit you out the moment you are no longer making them money.
 
I think they simply need another PPV draw. Right now, McGregor is all they have and I think they view him as a loose cannon. Maybe he returns in 6 months...maybe he doesn't. WME is desperate to pay their loans. They receive incentives for paying them off early, etc. They need that PPV badly. I hopr GSP's representatives got him one hell of a deal, because he had tons of leverage.
 
They might try, but the honest truth is as a worldwide draw GSP just hasnt got the clout of Mac. Mac crosses boundaries into pop culture that GSP will never do.
 
benjo0101 said:
They might try, but the honest truth is as a worldwide draw GSP just hasnt got the clout of Mac. Mac crosses boundaries into pop culture that GSP will never do.
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You underestimate gsps celebrity status in the French world.there is only so many French celebs and Georges is a superstar to them
 
JohnyHendricksBeard said:
Based on?
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My experience as an MMA fan in the UK.

People couldnt tell me who he was fighting but they wanted to talk about the fight.

People I would have bet my house would never have got into MMA.

People re-tweeting/sharing shit about him on social media that I, again, wouldnt have said had any interest in MMA.
 
Why would a company who just paid a lot of money to buy the UFC then immediately push out the biggest money maker they've ever produced? That's a ridiculous assumption, in my opinion. They might get rubbed the wrong way by Conor's antics, but how stupid do they have to be to push him out just because he says some outlandish things and negotiates hard? I've said it before, and I said it with Zuffa but it applies even more to the new guys- this isn't a mobster movie. This is a business, and Ari and WME don't want to lose money. They aren't stupid, and they know who their biggest star is. There is zero reason to push him out unless they want to see their business burn to the ground.

I mean, look at what you proposed. Are they bringing in a 35 year old who used to sell, but sold less than Conor, to diminish their cash cow and make him look like shit? That's like if the Angels asked Mike Trout to start batting left handed. Makes zero sense.
 
jason73 said:
You underestimate gsps celebrity status in the French world.there is only so many French celebs and Georges is a superstar to them
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Conor is the bigger star. Not even close. He may be a superstar with the French, but the French don't buy PPVs.
 
Andrewsimar Palhardass said:
Why would a company who just paid a lot of money to buy the UFC then immediately push out the biggest money maker they've ever produced? That's a ridiculous assumption, in my opinion. They might get rubbed the wrong way by Conor's antics, but how stupid do they have to be to push him out just because he says some outlandish things and negotiates hard? I've said it before, and I said it with Zuffa but it applies even more to the new guys- this isn't a mobster movie. This is a business, and Ari and WME don't want to lose money. They aren't stupid, and they know who their biggest star is. There is zero reason to push him out unless they want to see their business burn to the ground.

I mean, look at what you proposed. Are they bringing in a 35 year old who used to sell, but sold less than Conor, to diminish their cash cow and make him look like shit? That's like if the Angels asked Mike Trout to start batting left handed. Makes zero sense.
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rule #1 in negotiations: you have to be willing to walk away from the deal.

now it's a game of chicken, who blinks first? who needs who?
 
benjo0101 said:
My experience as an MMA fan in the UK.

People couldnt tell me who he was fighting but they wanted to talk about the fight.

People I would have bet my house would never have got into MMA.

People re-tweeting/sharing shit about him on social media that I, again, wouldnt have said had any interest in MMA.
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And the exact same thing could be said for GSP here. He also did it before the UFC hype machine.
 
ender852 said:
rule #1 in negotiations: you have to be willing to walk away from the deal.

now it's a game of chicken, who blinks first? who needs who?
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You need the other people to think you're willing to walk away. Do you really think the UFC is willing to walk away from the single fighter making them any money nowadays? GSP won't sell like McGregor sells. I guarantee it.

The UFC needs Conor more than they ever have, and Conor needs them less than he ever has. It's really simple.
 
you may be right. maybe the ufc does need conor more than conor needs the ufc. that won't stop them from trying to hedge their bets if he never comes back. and i'm sure that him being under contract gives them a position of strength in negotiations, the ability to prevent him from working elsewhere for a couple years perhaps?
 
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