Newly crowned UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has opened up on his future following his sensational, 13-second victory over Jose Aldo on Saturday night.
The Irishman finally got his hands on Aldo’s belt in Las Vegas courtesy of an exemplary left hook that left the former champion unconscious.
Here’s a look at McGregor’s title-winning moment, via BT Sport:
WOW! @TheNotoriousMMA KOs @josealdojunior in 13 seconds. ?????? #AndNew #UFC194 https://t.co/53rqGJ2OhB
— #UFC194 (@btsportufc) December 13, 2015
Saturday night’s bout pulled in an incredible $10.1 million gate, and it’s safe to say McGregor has become very marketable for UFC. His next fight will likely eclipse that figure, and with that in mind, the Irishman told MMA Fighting he feels he’s earned a $100 million-plus contract.
The featherweight champion told the MMA Hour in October he was going to sign a nine-figure deal—via Sky Sports—and it seems he’s now agreed terms:
“We have sorted a deal already. It is a very good one. When you bring in a $10.1 million gate, back-to-back MGM records, the pay-per-views that we’re bringing in here, it’s nothing but good business—times are good.”
Times were very good for McGregor on Saturday night, where pure euphoria took over as he lapped the MGM Grand ring after the knockout. And following the fight, he said the victory was a dream come true:
“It feels beautiful. I’ve dreamt this so much, so clearly, so precisely and so frequently that it’s manifested itself into reality. And that’s what I’m feeling right now—it’s a dream come true. Everyone doubted me. I came in and I said what I would do and I went and done it."
McGregor is a box-office dream for UFC. Such is the demeanor of the man and his ability in the ring that he's always going to be centre stage. The headlines will once again be hit when the Irishman returns to the Octagon, but before that happens, he said he’d assess his options:
“There’s options; and I make the decision on this. I feel I’ve earned the right to make decisions on this, so I’ll see what way it forms. I’ll listen to all angles and then I’ll make a decision.”
One option, which will be sure to pull in another bumper gate, is taking on American Frankie Edgar, who knocked out Chad Mendes on Friday night to make it five wins on the bounce.
Edgar now looks ready for a shot at the title, and the man himself took to Twitter to tell McGregor to give the fans what they want:
The fans want @TheNotoriousMMA v. Edgar. Give them what they want Conor. We could do it ANYWHERE! #PleaseDontGo #Dontgoooooo
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) December 13, 2015
Another is a rematch with Aldo, who called for McGregor to get back in the Octagon with him because their clash was so brief that it wasn't a fight—via Josh Gross of the Guardian: “I threw a punch and he came back with a cross. We need a rematch. It wasn’t a fight so we needed to get back in there."
McGregor agreed the fight lasting longer would have been nice, but he was quick to add that he no longer has anything to prove to the Brazilian—as Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog repored:
Jose has been a phenomenal champion. It would’ve been nice if the contest had of stretched out a little bit longer just for all that it’s been through, but I still feel the same process would’ve happened. Timing beats speed; precision beats power. That’s it. I respect Jose. I wish him well, but now we are on to the next chapter.
McGregor looks set to move up to the lightweight division, but he insisted he’ll continue to fight for his newly acquired belt. When asked if he’d vacate the featherweight division, he said:
There’s no way—I’m an active fighter. If I was inactive like previous champions or older champions, I’d understand vacating, but I’ll go up. And by the time I win the lightweight belt, it will still only be a couple of months while the featherweight belt is not active. So, I’m an active champion. I will keep my belt and I will add more belts.
More belts seem almost inevitable for the talented McGregor, who proved on Saturday night he can live up to his hype and then some.
And now, with a bumper contract and blockbuster fights coming at him from every angle, McGregor finally has the stardom and success that he’s always craved.
