UFC had Conor and Ronda at their peaks in 2014-2016. UFC will never catch lightning like that again

[Seahawks Fan]

I was just thinking today how insane it was for the UFC from 2014-2016. They caught the proverbial lightning in the bottle. They had Conor and Ronda hitting their peaks at the same time and both became the biggest MMA stars ever at roughly the same time. I don't think people fully appreciate just how monumental that run was for the UFC. If you really think about, it was on the strength of Conor and Ronda that the UFC was able to sell to WME in 2016 for $4 billion. I dont think the UFC will ever reach that level of mainstream appeal again. To have the two biggest stars ever in the sport just randomly appear at the same time and hit their stride together is pretty crazy.

 

[PhilMcCavity]

The Seahawks used to have russel Wilson and Marshawn lynch. Now they have geno smith. I don’t think they’ll ever catch lightning like that again

 

[witt1021]

The Seahawks used to have russel Wilson and Marshawn lynch. Now they have geno smith. I don’t think they’ll ever catch lightning like that again

you god damn right they wont lol.

 

[Tweak896]

People thought there would never be another Chuck Liddell or Brock. Stars are made all the time. New guys will come and be the most popular ever.

 

[Limit Smasher]

Someone else will catch on. Ronda was always trash and her fame seemed kinda astroturfed. Most people didn't give a shit about her.

Conor won't be back (alcohol destroyed his career) but I guarantee you someone else will move the needle as much as he did or even more.

 

[Lights Out 101]

There was also a time where we didn't foresee anything surpassing Brock's impact in the UFC, remember Brocktober?

While it's extremely unlikely that we get both a male and female UFC superstar at the same time again, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility. The world is full of surprises.

 

[Gabe]

People thought there would never be another Chuck Liddell or Brock. Stars are made all the time. New guys will come and be the most popular ever.

I don’t see someone breaking Conor’s PPV numbers anytime soon.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Yeah, of course. They're hardly the two most famous people on the planet. Plenty of upside and chances for someone else to become just as popular.

 

[trenton123]

you god damn right they wont lol.

The Legion of Boom is what they may never have again.

 

[trenton123]

Never is a long time.

 

[Jawth]

They make more money now than they did then because of the ESPN deal. They dont even need them anymore.

They get 500k worth of buys for crappy cards from Disney and pay guys peanuts while doing so.

 

[jko1355]

Ufc dying confirmed

 

[traditionally_irreverent]

As much as Id like to disagree.

I don’t think we will see another confluence of events like the Conor-Nate-Ronda-Mayweather days for quite some time.

 

[BigOlJeet]

Only casuals and MMA noobs that only watched since 2014 think Ronda and Conor transcended the sport.

 

[Wardum]

Powerslap > UFC

 

[Baal]

Only casuals and MMA noobs that only watched since 2014 think Ronda and Conor transcended the sport.

Conor definitely did at one point

Honda no

 

[Neck&Neck]

Who needs those bums when we have big Bo and Big Joe

 

[felmmando]

Only casuals and MMA noobs that only watched since 2014 think Ronda and Conor transcended the sport.

I don't know if I qualify as either, but I do remember those athletes getting attention from media that were otherwise oblivious to MMA.

 

[Lee_]

The only way these two were transcendent is commercially. And yes, Ronda was way more commercially successful in those days than anyone but Conor, sorry folks, those are facts hate her or not.

I don't think those two brought anything that can't be repeated, other than the fact that Ronda broke WMMA into the mainstream.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

if i told you in 1997 that The Rock was going to become the highest paid actor on earth and become an A list celebrity nobody would've believed it. yet hear we are...