It’s no secret that the two top draws in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) today are Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. With Rousey likely moving on, that leaves “Notorious” as the only fighter that can consistently bring in over one million pay-per-view (PPV) buys.
Be that as it may, McGregor has recently expressed discontent with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is solely focused on a boxing match with future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather.
There have been a lot of discussions over the past few years about star power in the UFC. Many argue that fighters need to “go out and get it” themselves. UFC welterweight Kamaru Usman told MMAJunkie.com that he feels any fighter can reach a high level of fame if the promotion sees dollar signs:
“The UFC can make anyone a star. It’s just they have to believe in you and put the time and money and effort into you to know it’s going to pay dividends. So, (they aren’t yet promoting me as strongly as possible). When I get back inside the cage, I just have to show them I said what I wanted, and I can prove that. It’s show and prove. That’s how the game goes.”
The “Nigerian Nightmare” is off to a good start in trying to get his name to prominence. After an impressive performance against Warlley Alves, Usman called out Demian Maia. The Brazilian is currently ranked No. 3 in the welterweight division, while Usman is unranked.
Many snarled at the idea of Usman matching up with Maia so soon, but the former Blackzilians member said he knows what he’s capable of.
Speaking of the Blackzilians, much has been made over the team’s “splintered” and “fragmented” state. While the name itself appears dissolved, Usman said, “The only change is we don’t have a big fancy gym.”
