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Fans in attendance at UFC 261 this Saturday will witness three mouth-watering title fights in a row - a stacked championship card not seen very often. But what would it be like if we saw high profile matchups of elite fighters every single week?
Although perhaps now dead in the water, the European Super League made headline news this week as a group of 12 elite soccer teams attempted to form a breakaway closed-league. The intention was to dethrone the UEFA Champions League as the premier European soccer competition, which would reap vast financial rewards for each ‘Super’ club without the possibility of ever being relegated from the ‘League’.
Would it be possible for UFC fighters to break away and form their own ‘league’? The ESL, even though it contains talented football teams, was concocted purely for financial gain. Keeping that in mind, fighters would have to leave the UFC knowing that the new ‘league’ provides more than an extra pair of Venum shorts.
Move over, UFC, as we welcome the world to the McGregor League.
Conor McGregor
The instigator of the McGregor League - or MGL - ‘Notorious’ is probably the only UFC fighter with enough resources to give this breakaway organization a fighting chance.
In recent weeks we have seen the Irishman flood the UFC-suggestion box with belt ideas - either based on his surname or just an accumulation of wealth.
Love him or hate him, McGregor has time and time again proven to be the biggest UFC PPV draw - so it just makes sense that ‘Notorious’ cherry-picks the highly-profitable MGL roster.
Michael Chandler
The first to the MGL will be fresh UFC blood, recently signed lightweight Michael Chandler. Conor McGregor is also fond of people who love McGregor and support Conor McGregor-like ideas.
Chandler has publicly supported the ‘McGregor belt’, wishing to add the rare patek edition to his belt collection. He will no doubt jump ship to the MGL at the nearest opportunity.
Nate Diaz
Seeing as the UFC may not host a McGregor vs Diaz trilogy anytime soon, why not sign Nate Diaz to the MGL roster and do it on your own terms?
Could they fight for a third time at 170lbs, then perhaps a fresh trilogy at 155lbs? McGregor loves bragging rights - he could host (and star in) the first multiple weight-class double-trilogy in combat history!
Nick Diaz
Think of the MGL as a mixture of the UFC, ESL, XFL and WWE, what do all of those organizations have in common? Drama.
Let’s throw another Diaz into the mix for non-stop chaos. Nick Diaz hasn’t fought in over five years, and that alone is sure to draw PPV buys. ‘Notorious’, in his Vince McMahon-esque way, will potentially attempt to profit from an explosive and morally-questionable Diaz vs Diaz main event at ‘MGL 2021 [BvB]’ - McGregor League 2021 [Brother versus Brother].
Floyd Mayweather
While outside the realm of the current UFC roster, Floyd Mayweather has previously fought McGregor in the boxing ring - the most profitable combat sports event in history.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid President and the current face of the ESL, has suggested changing the rules of soccer for maximum entertainment. Once free of the UFC’s grasp, the MGL can literally make up the rules as they go along.
A boxing rematch with Mayweather is financially a no-brainer, though the pair will now substitute the boxing ring for the MGL octacontagon - a McGregor-made cage with 80 sides to it - or as he may remind MGL fans, ten times better than the UFC yeah.
Jake & Logan Paul
One YouTuber is not good enough for the McGregor League. Ridiculous as it may seem, but McGregor already has a trash-talking history with these ‘boxers’, which is the perfect foundation for future PPV buys.
‘Notorious’ will no doubt milk his MMA-reduced bouts against both ‘fighters’, with special guest referee Ben Askren and YouTuber KSI for added drama.
All roads lead to next year's MGL summer main event - MGL 2022 [Paul vs Paul].
