Conor McGregor returns to the octagon on June 29 against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. McGregor is the biggest name in the industry and his fights sell more than anybody else in history. And history is what he will be looking to make again by raking in a never-seen-before number of ticket sales of UFC 303 a possibility.
ESPN has already released a promo for his return. The Irishman too, is doing his part in promoting the event by tweeting a video of his own walkout. McGregor even claimed that his return would beat the highest gate for a UFC PPV ever.
“$20m+ dollar gate incoming for the @ufc #McGregorSportsandEntertainment”
$20m+ dollar gate incoming for the @ufc #McGregorSportsandEntertainment pic.twitter.com/hOTaRxlBro
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 6, 2024
Out of the top 5 highest gates in UFC history, Conor McGregor holds the record for three of them. The highest gate the UFC has ever seen was a $17,7000,000 gate for UFC 205, Alvarez vs. McGregor.
‘The Notorious’ is confident he can secure a $20 million plus gate for UFC 303. For three years, McGregor fans have been eagerly waiting to watch him fight, so there definitely is a huge demand for this fight. Besides, it’s McGregor. Wherever he goes, it turns green with the presence of the Irish. It doesn’t matter where the fight is, it looks like a mini-Ireland.
The McGregor effect is real, when the Irishman is set to fight in Las Vegas, his fans take over the entire city. Hotel and Casino owners have linked it to the likes of the Superbowl.
Hotel and Casino owners talk about the Conor McGregor effect during fight weekends
Conor McGregor has put on a number of shows in Vegas and the crowds absolutely adore him.
In a video uploaded by AFeldmanMMA on X, the UFC talks to multiple owners of Casinos and hotels to understand what it is like when McGregor shows up in town.
The VP of Race and Sports for the famous Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas had this to say about it,
“There’s very few times in Las Vegas where the sportsbook has monster financial liability and those are Super Bowls, March Madness, Kentucky Derby, and now you can add Conor McGregor fights.”
The McGregor Effect.
“Frankly when McGregor comes to town it’s a week long celebration…There’s very few times in Las Vegas where the sportsbook has monster financial liability and those are Super Bowls, March Madness, Kentucky Derby, and now you can add Conor McGregor fights.”… https://t.co/gCr3uI4bPp pic.twitter.com/z5lURWanjJ
— AFeldmanMMA (@afeldMMA) May 6, 2024
Business starts booming as a lot of people hone into the fight capital of the world. Hotel room prices skyrocket, traffic increases and the fans take over the entire city. It truly is a spectacle to behold, the amount of control Conor McGregor has over his fans and the way they adore him. A $20 million gate is definitely possible for the Irishman.
