UFC 200 News: Journalist Raises 'What-Could-Have-Been' Question if Conor McGregor is Still on the Card
The removal of UFC featherweight world champion Conor McGregor from UFC 200 is believed to have major repercussions, as far as the company's final revenue goes.
"The Notorious" was taken off the card through the decision of the company's top executives, mainly for refusing to take part in the required media obligations that each fighter needs to go through. The 28-year-old Irishman even tried to get himself back on the card through various social media antics.
He even tweeted out a message, saying he was reinstated back in the card, only to be refuted by the UFC brass. Instead, the UFC decided to replace McGregor's supposed rematch against former lightweight title contender Nate Diaz with the grudge-filled light heavyweight title rematch between champion Daniel Cormier and former longt-time champion Jon Jones.
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The two will now be headlining the July 9 card, which is slated to take place at the T-Mobil Arena in Las Vegas.
With former bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey indefinitely sidelined, McGregor is inarguably UFC's top draw to date. His most recent headliner at UFC 196 made a total of 1.5 million pay-per-view buys, the second-highest in UFC history, right behind UFC 100 in 2009.
Now that McGregor is no longer part of the card, many are questioning if it could still achieve the same big numbers that were projected when the Irishman was still included.
According to veteran journalist Dave Meltzer for MMA Fighting, the possibility for it to happen is highly unlikely.
Even with UFC President Dana White's claim of a $10 million advertising budget, Meltzer doubted that UFC 200's ability to top or be at par with its predecessors.
McGregor's immediate future has not been decided as of late, and his next fight has yet to be booked. White, however, guaranteed that their most prized fighter will be back sooner than later after UFC 200, as per MMA Junkie.
