'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On October 7, 2018, UFC superstar, Conor McGregor will step into the Octagon for the first time since November 2016 when he takes on Lightweight Champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
McGregor was one half of the second highest grossing combat sports event in history when he battled Boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather Jr. on August 26, 2017, for a staggering 4.3 million pay per view buy-rate
McGregor, who has also contested four of the five highest-grossing UFC events in history faces perhaps his sternest test versus the dominating, unbeaten Russian, Khabib.
Khabib has racked up 26 consecutive victories with his grinding take-down and clinch style which wears his opponents out mentally as well as physically.
His method is in stark contrast to the stand-up striking of McGregor which makes their impending clash so interesting.
The hype surrounding the bout between the biggest draw in UFC history and it's greatest unbeaten performer has been the biggest in several years as anticipation builds to an impressive crescendo.
This slideshow counts down five other occasions where the UFC hype machine has matched the excitement to McGregor versus Khabib.
#5 Tito Ortiz vs Ken Shamrock - UFC 40 (November 22, 2002)
Widely credited as the event that saved the UFC from potentially going under is the UFC 40 show headlined by Light-Heavyweight Champion, Tito Ortiz's title defense against legendary UFC veteran and former WWE superstar, Ken Shamrock. The card earned 100,000 pay per view buys, nearly double what all other UFC events were attracting at the time.
UFC, after a strong start in the mid-1990's rapidly decreased in popularity as government pressure forced most states to ban the sport which greatly reduced its reach and as a result, it's mainstream appeal.
However, with the American MMA return of the global superstar, Shamrock to the organization after a six-year hiatus, his anticipated comeback led to mainstream coverage of the sport for the first time in many years.
Ortiz's brash and cocky promotion of the event and his continual disrespect of his opponent led to an incredible fervor for the show which at the time was unmatched.
The fight itself was entertaining albeit largely one-sided for its three-round duration as the aging Shamrock struggled to withstand the ground and pound onslaught of his younger opponent.
But what an incredible spectacle.
#4 Tito Ortiz vs Chuck Liddell - UFC 47 (April 2, 2004)
A Light-Heavyweight title clash was much anticipated between the two biggest stars of the division, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.
Prior to a shock loss in his previous fight to Randy Couture, Ortiz had been unbeaten for four years. Liddell had experienced just two defeats in his previous four years of combat as the pair dominated their division.
After years of talk, the bout finally was arranged for UFC 47.
The clash was a non-title affair due to Ortiz's loss to Couture but it affected the hype in no way whatsoever. The card was built around their match with a number of spine-tingling videos hyping the first time clash.
The buy-rate bettered UFC 40, drawing 105,000 purchases and thrilled the crowd in attendance, as Liddell knocked out his one-time friend early in the second round.
Such is the appeal of Liddell and Ortiz, they clashed again two years later at UFC 66, which drew over a million buys and are due to fight for a final time in November 2018.
Despite the greater buy-rate for the sequel, nothing could match the hype for the original.
The UFC 47 tagline said it all: It's On!
#3 Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell 2 - UFC 52 (April 16, 2005)
In 2005, hugely popular veteran fighter, Randy Couture was enjoying a career resurgence in the Light-Heavyweight division, having upset Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Vitor Belfort in Light-Heavyweight bouts.
Seeking revenge for his loss to Couture at UFC 43, a more experienced Liddell was a much greater match for his experienced opponent at UFC 52.
Adding to the hype was the fact that Couture and Liddell had been competing coaches in the first season of the Ultimate Fighter reality series that gave the winner a UFC contract. The show launched the UFC and MMA much further into the mainstream and led to the massive hype for the Couture-Liddell sequel.
Liddell had been craving the Light-Heavyweight Championship for years but despite his dominance had never been granted a shot.
This time he had it against one of the only two men to defeat him in his last six years of competition.
The match sold itself but the hype machine was still in full force and the event attracted a then huge 280,000 buys.
#2 Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir 2 - UFC 100 (July 11, 2009)
Wrestling superstar, Brock Lesnar proved to the world that he belonged in the Octagon when he knocked out UFC Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture to win the famous title at UFC 91.
In his first title defense, he was pitted against the only man to defeat him in his MMA career, former Champion, Frank Mir.
Adding to the hype was the fact their clash was to take place under the historic banner of UFC 100, a landmark event for the company.
The drama prior to the bout was intense with Mir and Lesnar making no secret of their severe dislike of each other.
Lesnar, in particular, felt massively disrespected by Mir's comments towards him and was out to prove a point that he was the better man despite his previous defeat to his more experienced foe.
The fighting talk translated to the Octagon in a bloody fight where Lesnar proved himself to be the better man when was he was decisively victorious. A point he made sure Mir recognized when he barked at him following the match.
The hype translated to the box office with the show attracting a then-record 1.6 million pay per view orders.
#1 Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 2 - UFC 202 (August 20, 2016)
Conor McGregor is no stranger to the hype and so it proved in the promotion of his much-anticipated rematch with rival, Nate Diaz.
UFC President, Dana White, reported at that time that McGregor was "obsessed" with landing a rematch with Diaz and this obsession translated into a frenzy of hype for the contest engaging the public as well.
The pair has originally met five months earlier in March 2016, where Diaz had surprised many by defeating McGregor with a rear naked choke in the closing stages of the second round.
It was the first time McGregor had lost in five years and his first loss in UFC.
The fire was furiously burning inside the Irishman to gain revenge and his colorful interviews prior to McGregor versus Diaz 2 upped the anticipation levels enormously.
The actual fight more than lived up to expectations. After five rounds of pulsating action, McGregor won a tight majority decision to avenge his loss.
The show broke the UFC pay per view record set by UFC 100, drawing 1.65 million orders.
