"We need stars" - UFC legend skeptical that Ilia Topuria or any current champs can be PPV giants like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov

A UFC legend and Hall of Famer recently engaged in a discussion about the current champions, such as Ilia Topuria, Merab Dvalishvili, and Islam Makhachev, and their alleged lack of drawing power for pay-per-view buys.

During an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier emphasized the UFC's need for star fighters who can generate significant pay-per-view sales and attract large audiences to events, saying:

"We need stars... Can [Merab] connect with the fans?... Are they hitting the pay-per-view button? Are they purchasing the pay-per-view when they see Merab?... I think Ilia could be. Is he there right now? To where people just go, 'Ilia Topuria's on the card, I'm buying the pay-per-view.' I don't know that."

He added:

"I know that Islam [Makhachev] was champion for a while, and people weren't hitting that buy button as you thought they would, even if he was dominant. Khabib got there [to that level]... If you look at it minus the pay-per-view, they're all doing great."

Check out Daniel Cormier's comments below (40:31):

In UFC history, the largest pay-per-view event was UFC 229. It featured a highly anticipated grudge match between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor for the lightweight title as the main event. The event reportedly attracted considerable attention and totaled 2.4 million pay-per-view buys.

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Daniel Cormier likens Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria's feud to that of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor

Many, including Daniel Cormier, believe that the current rivalry between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria could be similar to that of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

In the aforementioned discussion on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cormier also highlighted how Nurmagomedov's fight against McGregor was a pivotal moment for both the promotion and the fighters' careers. Suggesting that Makhachev and Topuria could generate a similar level of excitement and buzz, he said:

"While I may not have the greatest relationship with Conor McGregor, partly because of Khabib and his relationship with Conor McGregor, I respect and appreciate him for being that guy for my brother, Khabib. Because without Conor McGregor, Khabib doesn't go to the moon, right? You need that guy."

He added:

"And I think Ilia Topuria and Islam [Makhachev] might be that for each other. So, while you may not like each other, you may need each other to go to the next level." [34:49]