UFC: Dustin Poirier knows Conor McGregor connection pays more than title, says Frank Mir
- ‘The UFC don’t ever want the fighter to be bigger than the show. But guess what? Conor opened that door,’ says former heavyweight champ Mir
- ‘Fighters are starting to realise they have to stop worrying about being the UFC champ, and worry about being a superstar’
Frank Mir has noticed a growing trend in the UFC.
After Dustin Poirier knocked out Conor McGregor in their UFC 257 rematch in Abu Dhabi, Khabib Nurmagomedov officially retired six weeks later and vacated the 155-pound crown. “The Diamond” turned down a chance to become the undisputed title-holder to face the Irishman for a third time this summer, with Michael Chandler to fight Charles Oliveira for the belt at UFC 262.
The match-up could generate Poirier the biggest pay cheque of his entire career, and former UFC heavyweight champ Mir (19-13) thinks fighters are coming to the realisation people just don’t care about the titles as much any more.
“It’s a great little moniker to put, ‘Hey I was the champ’,” Mir told SCMP MMA. “Look, for the rest of my life, I’m announced as the two-time UFC heavyweight champ. It does give you some validity to your name.
“But at the end of the day, Conor McGregor’s Conor McGregor. The UFC can go bankrupt tomorrow. Conor ain’t going nowhere. He’s bigger than the show itself.”
With “The Notorious” becoming an undeniable box office draw, superstardom and earning power is the name of the game. Just look at Saturday’s Triller Fight Club main event boxing bout between former UFC star Ben Askren and YouTuber Jake Paul. The 41-year-old Mir is set to make his professional boxing debut against former IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham (29-9-1) on the undercard.