“Conor McGregor needed Khabib…” Dana White reveals how Conor vs Khabib fight was unavoidable

UFC 229: Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov upholds unattainable gate records and fan perceptions to this day.

“Conor McGregor needed Khabib…” Dana White reveals how Conor vs Khabib fight was unavoidable

Dana White states why Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov necessitated each other for stardom (Source: Instagram)

Undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov and former 2-division champ Conor McGregor are literal giants. There are next-to-none MMA enthusiasts who do not know these names, or of the UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor PPV event that followed. UFC 229 remains one of the biggest buyouts ever, with $6,636,000 disclosed payouts, even without bonuses. Currently, Dana White sounded off on it yet again.

During the Lex Fridman Podcast Episode #421, White touched upon many topics, such as his motivation to keep working, Donald Trump being hard-pressed with Ivana Trump’s death; Joe Rogan coming under review in 2022, and so on. And so forth, about various current and past titbits.

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Concurrently, here’s what he said about McGregor being the first sensational combatant, and his matchup with Khabib:

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Yeah...Listen, the thing that you can’t do is avoid match-ups. You know what I mean? This is what we’re talking about when you talk about being a legend...Conor McGregor needed Khabib. Khabib needed Conor McGregor...You can hate each other as much as you want, but you have to fight these other legendary bad motherfu**ers to yourself...Become a legend.
Dana White on the Lex Fridman Podcast Episode #421

Dana White advocated Khabib Nurmagomedov as the only pairing for the Dubliner. UFC 229 drew an attendance of 20,034, generating a live gate of $17.2 million. The highest ever in Nevada. It is the biggest MMA PPV event to date, with 2.4 million domestic buyouts. Globally at #2, Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov fell shy of the highest box office number list by a small margin.

UFC 205, which generated a $17.7 million gate at Madison Square Garden still tanks the list. While Nurmagomedov bagged a win over UFC’s “first legit megastar” (as Fridman puts it), the rivalry set off McGregor’s status as the consensus PPV king. UFC listings have McGregor’s bouts as the top 10 PPV buyouts.

PPV King and megastar Conor McGregor top moments

Dana White recently resounded on why Conor McGregor facing Khabib Nurmagomedov had big connotations. Standing tall at 29-0 MMA and 13-0 UFC, Khabib still holds the record for being the longest-reigning undefeated 155lber in promotion history. ‘The Eagle’ earns a plethora of accolades based on his career run even now. The Irishman’s trajectory isn’t unlike Khabib Nurmagomedov’s either.

Much like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor has had other epic rivalries
Much like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor has had other epic rivalries (Source: Twitter/IMAGO)

During the ‘Top 30 UFC fighters‘ segment with Bear Degidio (JAXXON podcast), Quinton “Rampage” Jackson weighed in on the English and Irish fanbase rallying behind the star and his fandom. Recently, Dana White also touched on it in yet another podcast.

Let’s venture into some of McGregor’s top moments that have contributed to such fame:

My knee popped, but fu*k it, it is what it is...I just went with what was comfortable - getting the motherfu**er to the ground...Looking back, I should have just pulled my knee from my leg and hit him with it.
Conor McGregor after his battle with Max Holloway at Boston’s TD Garden

He faced Max Holloway on UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen. While a mild demeanor back then, McGregor’s rivalry with ‘Blessed’, and his stoic disposition came to be known as “McGregorism.” They maintain the rivalry to this day.

McGregor also has a substantial backstory with Nate Diaz. The 22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC former champ faced Diaz twice before, now instigating a trilogy. However, he was never once concerned about weight-cut problems in the build-up. Perhaps he knew his premeditated worth as one of the richest fighters in promotion history.

The only weight I give a fu*k about...is the weight of the cheques...and my cheques are super-heavyweight.
Conor McGregor on his weight difference with Nate Diaz

And how could one forget him boasting 2023’s seasonal best face-off moments with TUF: Season 31 coach Michael Chandler? His shoving Chandler’s face, recreating the iconic Gordon Ramsay moment, is a famed affair.

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